Fölkersam was appointed commander of the Imperator Nikolai I from 1 January 1895 to 12 October 1899 in the Russian Pacific Fleet.

The squadron departed the Baltic Sea on 15 October 1904 under the command of Admiral Zinovy Rozhestvensky on a voyage around the southern tip of Africa, across the Indian Ocean and north to the Tsushima Straits in an attempt to relieve the Japanese blockade of Port Arthur.

Rozhestvensky was aware of Fölkersam's condition, and when the fleet reached Tangier, he assigned Fölkersahm to an independent command consisting of five older warships and several transports, which transited the Suez Canal and rejoined the main fleet at Nossi Be in Madagascar.

Rozhestvensky, concerned with the effect of Fölkersam's death on morale, ordered that the news be kept secret from the crew and the rest of the fleet.

Command of the second armoured unit was quietly transferred to captain Vladimir Baer with the crew given the impression that he was taking orders from an indisposed Fölkersahm.