Germany’s tightened maritime border regime was on full display on the morning of 7 November 2025 when officers at Rostock Overseas Port removed a Somali national from the Stockholm ferry for travelling without a valid passport. Although the 35-year-old held Swedish residence rights, he failed to meet German entry requirements and was sent back on the next sailing under a readmission arrangement with Swedish authorities.
The incident is small but emblematic: ferry routes from Scandinavia have become a focus of the Federal Police since the government expanded internal Schengen checks in October. According to the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania police directorate, the Rostock unit has increased spot checks by 40 % and uncovered 73 immigration violations in six weeks—double last year’s figure.
![Federal Police Thwart Illegal Ferry Entry in Rostock Amid Heightened Port Checks]()
Shipping lines Stena Line and TT Line have circulated advisories reminding passengers to carry original travel documents, warning that business travellers using national ID cards alone may be denied boarding if their trip continues beyond Germany.
For mobility managers the message is clear: employees transiting via Baltic sea routes should build extra time into itineraries and verify that third-country nationals with EU residence permits also carry passports, even on intra-Schengen journeys. The Federal Police say further joint operations with Swedish counterparts are planned for the Christmas travel peak.
The incident is small but emblematic: ferry routes from Scandinavia have become a focus of the Federal Police since the government expanded internal Schengen checks in October. According to the Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania police directorate, the Rostock unit has increased spot checks by 40 % and uncovered 73 immigration violations in six weeks—double last year’s figure.
Shipping lines Stena Line and TT Line have circulated advisories reminding passengers to carry original travel documents, warning that business travellers using national ID cards alone may be denied boarding if their trip continues beyond Germany.
For mobility managers the message is clear: employees transiting via Baltic sea routes should build extra time into itineraries and verify that third-country nationals with EU residence permits also carry passports, even on intra-Schengen journeys. The Federal Police say further joint operations with Swedish counterparts are planned for the Christmas travel peak.
