After surviving the German invasion on 9 April and the 62-day-long Norwegian Campaign that followed it, "Barøy" was set to assist in the transportation of released German prisoners of war from the Norwegian prisoner of war camp on the island of Skorpa in Kvænangen, Troms. "Barøy" carried out the mission together with Finnmark Fylkesrederi's steamer "Tanahorn", the latter carrying some 200 Germans to Tromsø and "Barøy" taking the remaining 260 to the same port city. "Barøy" continued serving in "Nordnorge"'s place during the German occupation of Norway, "Nordnorge" having been sunk by Royal Navy warships during the Norwegian Campaign after she had been pressed into service as a covert troopship by the invading German forces. "Barøy" was considered too small a vessel for the longer distances, such as the Hurtigruten route between Bergen and Narvik, and her prolonged service on the route was an emergency measure.