Schleswig-holstein Ship Details and Seafarer Feedback

On the afternoon of June 7, 2017, the 'Schleswig Holstein' became the first Scandlines ferry to resume operations after a temporary suspension triggered by a bomb threat received via telephone. Initially, the ferry was operating without any passengers or vehicles on board. Shortly after, the 'Deutschland' arrived from Rødby, while the 'Berlin' also resumed its services in Gedser. Both ferry routes—Puttgarden to Rødby and Rostock to Gedser—had been affected by the alert. At Puttgarden, the ferries 'Kronprins Frederik', which transports hazardous goods, and 'Prins Richard' were held docked and thoroughly screened for explosives after being unloaded. Danish police implemented safety measures, which included searching ferries at both Rødby and Gedser following credible tips that warranted a thorough investigation. Passengers were discreetly evacuated from the ferries operating between Rødby and Puttgarden on Fehmarn and those traveling from Gedser to Rostock. The evacuations proceeded calmly and without incident. By late afternoon, the 'Copenhagen' was docked in Rostock, while the 'Deutschland' remained at the quay in Rødby, as local authorities advised that both it and the 'Prinsesse Benedikte' could not depart due to the ongoing situation. A steering committee from the water police in Travemünde was established to assess the situation, working closely with Danish authorities to determine next steps. The travel interruption led to significant disruptions, with all rail connections in Puttgarden canceled by evening, resulting in long lines of cars and trucks accumulating at the ferry terminal and surrounding parking areas, which were nearing full capacity.

In a significant development for the ferry sector, private equity consortiums 3i and Allianz Capital Partners have received three provisional bids for their ferry company, Scandlines. According to insiders, all offers were submitted by the Friday deadline on April 5, 2023, and are reportedly from private equity investors. Scandlines, which operates as the leading ferry service in the southern Baltic, serves approximately 12 million travelers each year. In October, 3i and ACP enlisted the expertise of Goldman Sachs and ING to manage the sale process, aiming for a valuation of up to 1.4 billion euros (equivalent to $1.80 billion). Notable firms such as Apollo, Axa Private Equity, and Nordic Capital have expressed interest in acquiring Scandlines, although it remains uncertain which of these companies may have submitted bids. Stay tuned for further developments.

On the morning of June 22, 2011, a truck fire erupted on the ferry 'Schleswig-Holstein' moments after it departed from Puttgarden en route to Roedby. A vigilant deckhand performing routine checks on the car deck noticed the blaze and quickly intervened to extinguish it. The incident was traced back to a malfunctioning cooling unit of a Dutch semi-trailer. Fortunately, no damages to other vehicles were reported, allowing the ferry to continue its journey to Denmark without further incident. In the aftermath, the Puttgarden water police launched an investigation into the driver, suspecting endangerment of maritime traffic. Furthermore, the Federal Institute of Maritime Casualty Investigation has requested a detailed report regarding the event.