In an unexpected policy shift, the European Union has lifted sanctions on two Polar Class heavy-lift carriers, Audax and Pugnax, which were originally built for Russia’s Yamal LNG project in 2016 and later used in the construction of Arctic LNG 2, gCaptain reported.

Both ships, designed to Polar Class 3 (PC3) standards, are owned by Red Box Energy Services Pte. Ltd., a Singapore-based company that remains under EU sanctions. The vessels were purpose-built to navigate the Northern Sea Route even during the winter months.

In January 2017, Audax made a mid-winter voyage, delivering three 6,000-tonne modules from Qingdao, China, to the Yamal Peninsula. Over the following years, both Audax and Pugnax continued similar deliveries for Russian LNG infrastructure, operating even after Western sanctions were imposed.

Both vessels completed module shipments just before Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, later continuing to transport cargo to the Belolamenka shipyard near Murmansk until January 2024.

At the time, Philip Adkins, then-CEO of Red Box Energy Services, stated that the company had no direct contractual relationship with Russia or Novatek, claiming it was only transporting steel structures. However, gCaptain noted that U.S. and EU authorities were unconvinced. Both vessels and Red Box were sanctioned in May and June 2024, and Adkins resigned the following month after his Singapore residence permit was not renewed.

The EU has not explained why Audax and Pugnax were delisted last week. The vessel databases Equasis and S&P show no ownership changes, with both ships still managed by Red Box.

The decision marks a rare reversal of sanctions. In July 2025, the EU lifted restrictions on three MOL-controlled LNG carriers—North Moon, North Ocean, and North Light—after receiving assurances that they would not carry Russian LNG. It remains unclear whether Red Box offered similar commitments, gCaptain added.

A possible unrecorded sale could also explain the delisting, as both PC3-class ships are well-suited for polar operations, including Antarctic missions.

Despite the EU’s action, Audax and Pugnax remain under sanctions imposed by the United States, Canada, and Switzerland. Since their blacklisting, Audax has mainly been idle in the coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, while Pugnax remains docked in Singapore. Red Box could not be reached for comment; its website appears offline, and email inquiries have bounced back.

Source: gCaptain