The Swedish-flagged Ro-Pax ferry Mecklenburg-Vorpommern was evacuated at the Port of Rostock on September 16 after liquid was discovered leaking from a rail tank wagon during loading operations.
The Stena Line vessel was preparing to depart for Trelleborg, Sweden, when emergency services were alerted at approximately 15:50 local time. Firefighters, police and medical teams arrived at the terminal, established a security perimeter and boarded the ferry wearing chemical protection suits.
According to police, 164 passengers and 51 crew members were aboard the vessel. Stena Line reported that 168 people were taken to the terminal, while the captain and several crew members remained on board because they were not considered to be in immediate danger.
Several people reportedly experienced minor respiratory discomfort. Five people were taken to hospital as a precaution, including four crew members, but no serious injuries were reported.
Firefighters collected the leaking liquid and inspected the affected tank wagon. Following extensive testing, the emergency services found no evidence that a hazardous substance had escaped. The liquid is believed to have been condensation dripping from the outer wall of the tank.
The emergency response lasted approximately ten hours and ended at around 02:00 on September 17. The ferry’s scheduled departure was initially cancelled, but the vessel later resumed its voyage to Trelleborg and returned to its regular operating schedule.
Built in 1996, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern operates Stena Line’s route between Rostock and Trelleborg and is capable of carrying passengers, road vehicles and railway wagons.
