“Kraken 2025” exercises in port of Gdynia test maritime and shore-based crisis response

Scenario: fire on a ferry with 900 passengers

According to the exercise plan, the Maritime Rescue Coordination Center (MRCC) received a distress report from the ferry Stena Spirit, located at sea. The vessel developed a severe list due to fire, prompting the captain to order the evacuation of approximately 900 passengers.

The onshore phase focused on receiving survivors delivered by the Maritime Search and Rescue Service (SAR) and providing immediate care and support.

Rescue operations and air support

The exercise featured participation from:

• SAR vessels SAR-3000 “Sztorm” and SAR-1500 “Wiatr”,
• Navy helicopter SG-301 “Gen. J. Haller”.

Observers witnessed advanced water rescue techniques and the helicopter’s firefighting capabilities.

– We must recognize that in a real-life scenario, survivors may number in the hundreds or even thousands. Cooperation between maritime and land-based services is critical to ensure every person’s safety, said Kamil Woźniakiewicz of SAR Gdynia.

Comprehensive procedural testing

Pomorskie voivode Beata Rutkiewicz emphasized that the exercises tested regional and national services’ response to a ferry sinking scenario.

– We wanted to verify how all institutions work together in a crisis. The exercises showed that our written procedures are effectively implemented in practice, Beata Rutkiewicz stated.

Participants included SAR, police, fire services, border guards, military units, emergency medical services, port authorities, and regional administration.

City and port perspective

Gdynia mayor Aleksandra Kosiorek stressed the importance of such exercises for urban safety:

– It is crucial for Gdynia to practice crisis scenarios regularly and to improve coordination between services and municipal authorities.

Mirosław Czapiewski, vice president of the Port of Gdynia Authority for infrastructure and asset management, noted that maintaining readiness of organizational and direct safety systems is essential:

– The ‘Kraken’ exercises allowed us to evaluate service performance and inter-agency cooperation in a realistic setting.

“Kraken 2025” demonstrated that coordination between multiple entities—from maritime forces to medical and administrative services—is essential for effective crisis response. The exercise confirmed that the port and city possess the operational capacity to safeguard hundreds of lives in real emergencies.