Discover the Stena-Spirit: Ratings & Maritime News

**Title: 'Stena Spirit' Resumes Operations After Aground Incident** In an encouraging development for maritime transport, the 'Stena Spirit' has officially returned to service following a grounding incident near Karlskrona on March 25. After undergoing essential repairs at the Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk, the ferry's first journey from Gdynia to Karlskrona took place on April 28 at precisely 11:30 p.m. Authorities are still probing the circumstances surrounding the ferry's grounding, with investigations being conducted by the Swedish Transport Agency alongside the Danish Maritime Authority. With the 'Stena Spirit' back in action, the ferry connection between Karlskrona and Gdynia is now operating a robust schedule of 34 departures each week, a significant increase from the 27 trips that were offered during the repair period. This reinstatement marks a welcome return to full operational capacity for travelers and freight services alike.

**Title: ‘Stena Spirit’ Faces Adverse Conditions in Karlskrona** On March 25, 2026, at 9:30 AM, the ferry ‘Stena Spirit’ encountered significant challenges while docked at the port of Karlskrona, Sweden. The vessel was thrown into a precarious situation when a stern mooring rope broke under intense gusts of wind, causing it to drift away from its berth. At the time, there were 489 passengers aboard the ferry, and swift action was taken. The Swedish naval tug HMS ‘Hector’, stationed at the Karlskrona naval port, identified the emerging crisis and promptly established radio communication with the ‘Stena Spirit’, which requested immediate assistance. HMS ‘Hector’ responded without delay, while coordination with the Joint Rescue Coordination Centre (JRCC) began. Upon its swift arrival, HMS ‘Hector’ was joined by a commercial tug, allowing the two vessels to secure the wayward ferry. Fortunately, no injuries were reported, and the ‘Stena Spirit’ was successfully moored back at the quay. Following this incident, both the ferry and the port infrastructure underwent thorough inspections by the relevant authorities, including a classification society evaluation. Due to the ‘Stena Spirit’ temporarily occupying the berth, delays began impacting other vessels on the Gdynia-Karlskrona route, serviced by Stena Line Polska. Consequently, the ferry’s evening sailing was canceled, leading to alternative arrangements for passengers, who were given reservations on the next sailing with a different ferry and complimentary overnight hotel accommodations. Moreover, the arrival of the ‘Stena Estelle’ was also postponed, leading to additional accommodations and meal provisions being offered to its passengers, who were stranded at the Karlskrona terminal. Similarly, the departure of the ‘Stena Ebb’ from Gdynia faced delays, with passengers remaining on board to utilize the cabins and amenities. In response to the safety concerns, underwater inspections of the ‘Stena Spirit’ were conducted at Verkö port, which continued into March 26. All sailings between Karlskrona and Gdynia were indefinitely suspended as a precautionary measure. On March 28, the ‘Stena Spirit’ received clearance to sail to Gdansk for necessary repairs, departing from Karlskrona. It successfully reached the Remontowa Shipyard in Gdansk-Ostrów on March 29 at 5:20 AM UTC, where repairs for the hull damage began. For additional information and visual content surrounding this incident, you can view reports and media coverage at the following links: - [Portal Morski](https://www.portalmorski.pl/zegluga/60360-uszkodzenie-cumy-rufowej-promu-stena-spirit-opoznienia-promow-na-linii-gdynia-karlskrona) - [Trojjmiasto](https://www.trojmiasto.pl/tv/Stena-Spirit-26-03-2026-video-106878.html) - [Aftonbladet](https://www.aftonbladet.se/nyheter/a/0ppoWM/stena-farja-fast-utanfor-karlskrona)

**Title: Stena Spirit Continues to Disrupt Traffic at Verkö Port** Content: As of March 27, the Stena Spirit remains lodged at the Verkö port in Karlskrona, effectively blocking operations for two full days following its grounding incident. Stena Line is currently awaiting a crucial permit from the Swedish Transport Agency (STA) to facilitate the ferry’s relocation to a shipyard, but the process has been shrouded in uncertainty, with the shipping company reporting no clear reasons for the delay. The STA has indicated that the wait is due to the need for a stability assessment, yet the identity of the party responsible for performing this analysis remains unknown. The Stena Spirit had been stranded off the coast of Karlskrona for more than 16 hours by the time of reporting. During this challenging situation, crew members provided essential care by distributing water and opened the onboard restaurant, offering complimentary meals to passengers. Additionally, the crew kept travelers updated with announcements every two hours as they awaited permission to dock, just half an hour’s journey from the port of Karlskrona. The ripple effects of the Stena Spirit's grounding have led to significant disruptions in ferry services between Karlskrona and Gdynia. Notably, the Stena Estelle was compelled to reroute to Trelleborg, leaving hundreds of passengers aboard the Stena Ebba stranded at sea as no ferries were able to dock in Karlskrona. For further details, visit the full report [here](https://omni.se/passagerare-fast-pa-farja-medicinerna-borjar-ta-slut/a/zOOx51).

An investigation into the death of a Polish woman and her child on June 29, who fell overboard from the 'Stena Spirit' showed that the child has been killed. From the surveillance video, it appears that the mother had the child in her arms when both fell overboard, said the public prosecutor Marie Lindström, who led the investigation, according to a press release from the Swedish Public Prosecutor's Office. The conclusion is based on surveillance videos from the ferry and an interview with the ship's captain. There were no witnesses to the incident. It was initially characterized as an accident. A seven-year-old boy had allegedly fallen overboard when the ferry was on its way from Gdynia to Karlskrona. His mother ran after him - and both were found dead after an hour's search. But now the Swedish public prosecutor's office stated that a surveillance camera told a different story.

A mother and her seven-year-old child died after falling overboard the 'Stena Spirit' on June 29, 2023, enroute from Karlskrona to Gdynia. The two were located and winched to a helicopter and are taken to a hospital, where they were devladed dead. The ferry was midway through its journey when the incident occurred. A large rescue effort was initiated, with several helicopters and NATO ships in the area. An extended suicide was thought to be behind the indident.

The 'Stena Spirit' upon entering port coming from Gdynia, suffered engine trouble in Karlskrona on Sep 16, 2019, at 10 a.m., missed its dock and was in collision with the Norwegian offshore vessel 'NKT Victoria' near the quay in windy conditions. The ferry was on its way into the Verkö port at Karlskrona when she was suddenly hit by a blackout. In the strong wind, she drifted rapidly towards the lighthouse on Verkö. Before the ferry got the engines started, it let the anchor go in an attempt to stop the drift towards the lighthouse, but hit the bottom. When the ferry got back on its engine, it backed towards the quay, thereby hitting the moored cable ship. Stena sent its own divers down to check the hull for any damage. The situation after the blackout was aggravated by the harsh winds that contributed to accelerate the process. No spills have been detected neither from the "Stena Spirit" nor from the "NKT Victoria". No one was injured in the accident either. Emergency services were notified, but no ambulance has been called. The Coast Guard vessel 'KBV 003' was deployed for investitations. Both ships berthed in the Verkö Port around 10.15 a.m. The ferry had 740 passengers and 103 crew members on board. She left the port again at 9.30 p.m. and arrived back in Gdynia on Sep 17 at 7.15 a.m. Swedish report with photos: https://www.svt.se/nyheter/lokalt/blekinge/passagerarfartyg-i-kollision-med-fartyg-stort-raddningspadrag