EU Lifts Sanctions on Heavy-Load Carriers ‘Audax’ and ‘Pugnax’ Involved in Russian Arctic LNG Construction

In a surprise move the EU has delisted two polar class heavy lift vessels, Audax and Pugnax. The vessels were purpose-built for the construction of Russia’s Yamal LNG project in 2016. They also carried the majority of prefabricated modules for the country’s other flagship LNG project, Arctic LNG 2. 

With a Polar Class 3 (PC3) classification the two ships, owned by also sanctioned Red Box Energy Services Pte. Ltd., could travel the Arctic Northern Sea Route even during the winter months. 

In January 2017 Audax completed a daring January delivery of three 6,000 tonnes modules from Qingdao, China to the Yamal peninsula. Similar voyages followed in subsequent years.

They continued working for Russia even in the face of Western sanctions. Both vessels completed shipments of modules just prior to the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Audax and Pugnax subsequently continued transporting modules to the Belolamenka shipyard near Murmansk with the final delivery coming in January 2024. 

Red Box’s CEO at the time asserted his firm was only delivering steel structures and that it had no contractual relations with Russia or Novatek. However, U.S. and EU officials were unconvinced. The company as well as both its vessels were sanctioned in May and June 2024. Red Box’s CEO Philip Adkins subsequently left the company in June 2024 after his Singaporean residence permit didn’t get extended. 

The EU press office did not immediately respond to a request for comment why the two vessels were delisted last week. Both the Equasis shipping database and S&P do not show a change in ownership with both vessels continuing to be managed by Red Box. 

It is extremely rare for the EU to remove sanctions. In July 2025 the EU lifted measures on three MOL-controlled LNG carriers, North Moon, North Ocean, and North Light after receiving assurance that they would not be employed to transport Russian LNG. It is unclear if Red Box now offered similar guarantees.

A thus far unrecorded sale to a new owner could also explain the lifting of sanctions. With their PC3 ice-class the vessels are ideally suited for operation in polar waters, including in Antarctica. Currently, Audax and Pugnax remain sanctioned by the U.S., Canada, and Switzerland.

Since being sanctioned Audax and Pugnax have been largely idle with the former in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea and the latter docked in Singapore, where both vessels currently remain. Red Box could not be reached for comment. The company’s website appears to be offline and an email inquiry bounced back. 

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