Subsequent to the acquisition of his former vessel, Captain John Nordlander was appointed Commander of SS Drottningholm 1942–1948, carrying out multiple prisoner transport missions, totalling thousands of displaced victims and prisoners of war, notably in collaboration with the Red Cross.
Under signs such as "Freigeleit - Protected, Drottningholm Sweden", she turned out to be one of the few ships that sailed hostile waters with all lights shining at night.

During 1942, SS Drottningholm was sporting signs on its sides displaying "Diplomat - Drottningholm Sverige" when transporting disabled prisoners of war, victims of Nazi concentration camps as well as diplomats from Liverpool, United Kingdom, to North America.

In September 1944 she was deployed by the Red Cross to transport prisoners of war and civilians being repatriated from Nazi Germany to the United Kingdom via Sweden.

Another voyage in April 1945 docked in Liverpool that included 212 ex-interned Channel Islanders.
One of the voyages is indicated to have safely relocated 1,362 individuals at once.

Probably for security reasons, we do not take the most direct route, but skirt around the west of Ireland.
Liverpool is in the morning mist.
From afar we hear the sirens of the boats that welcome.
A huge crowd and happy jostling on the quay.
The harbor is decorated with banners and flags.
Emotions run high among the passengers.
Then finally, when we drop anchor, a military band welcomed us by playing "God Save the King" and popular tunes.

— Mr Donald Prager about his voyage from Lisbon to Liverpool in August 1944, onboard SS Drottningholm
We were a day or two aboard this vessel glorying in our new found freedom.
Bands were sent down to the quayside to play for us and generally we were made very much at ease.
The Crown Princess came aboard and moved amongst us. [...]
We left the Swedish harbour to the strains of both our national anthems and set course for home.
Guided through the Skaggerak, then into the North Sea with only water between us and Britain.
A few days more and we were within our own territorial waters.
Then Leith and the pipe band to welcome us.
We were home!

— Alistair Crawford Cameron MacRitchie, Medical Orderly in the Royal Army Medical Corps
Subsequent to the acquisition of his former vessel, Captain John Nordlander was appointed Commander of SS Drottningholm 1942–1948, carrying out multiple prisoner transport missions, totalling thousands of displaced victims and prisoners of war, notably in collaboration with the Red Cross. Under signs such as "Freigeleit - Protected, Drottningholm Sweden", she turned out to be one of the few ships that sailed hostile waters with all lights shining at night.
During 1942, SS Drottningholm was sporting signs on its sides displaying "Diplomat - Drottningholm Sverige" when transporting disabled prisoners of war, victims of Nazi concentration camps as well as diplomats from Liverpool, United Kingdom, to North America.
In September 1944 she was deployed by the Red Cross to transport prisoners of war and civilians being repatriated from Nazi Germany to the United Kingdom via Sweden.
Another voyage in April 1945 docked in Liverpool that included 212 ex-interned Channel Islanders. One of the voyages is indicated to have safely relocated 1,362 individuals at once.
Probably for security reasons, we do not take the most direct route, but skirt around the west of Ireland. Liverpool is in the morning mist. From afar we hear the sirens of the boats that welcome. A huge crowd and happy jostling on the quay. The harbor is decorated with banners and flags. Emotions run high among the passengers. Then finally, when we drop anchor, a military band welcomed us by playing "God Save the King" and popular tunes.
— Mr Donald Prager about his voyage from Lisbon to Liverpool in August 1944, onboard SS Drottningholm
We were a day or two aboard this vessel glorying in our new found freedom. Bands were sent down to the quayside to play for us and generally we were made very much at ease. The Crown Princess came aboard and moved amongst us. [...] We left the Swedish harbour to the strains of both our national anthems and set course for home. Guided through the Skaggerak, then into the North Sea with only water between us and Britain. A few days more and we were within our own territorial waters. Then Leith and the pipe band to welcome us. We were home!
— Alistair Crawford Cameron MacRitchie, Medical Orderly in the Royal Army Medical Corps
John Nordlander