What Crew Members Say About Pugnax

In an unexpected development, the European Union has officially removed the 'Audax' and 'Pugnax' from its sanctions list. These two polar class heavy lift vessels, constructed in 2016, played a key role in supporting Russia’s Yamal LNG project and were pivotal in transporting prefabricated modules for the Arctic LNG 2 initiative. Both ships are owned by the sanctioned company Red Box Energy Services Pte. Ltd. and are capable of navigating the Arctic Northern Sea Route, even in winter. Despite the imposition of Western sanctions, they continued operations for Russia, completing module shipments just before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. They proceeded to deliver modules to the Belolamenka Shipyard near Murmansk, with the last shipment expected in January 2024. After the sanctions were applied in May and June 2024, Red Box’s CEO Philip Adkins left the company as his residency in Singapore was not renewed. Since then, 'Audax' and 'Pugnax' have remained largely inactive, with one vessel spotted in the Yellow Sea and the other docked in Singapore. Previous measures against vessels like the MOL-operated 'North Moon,' 'North Ocean,' and 'North Light' were lifted in July 2025 under the condition they wouldn't transport Russian LNG. It remains to be seen whether Red Box provided similar assurances, or whether an unrecorded sale to a new owner played a role in the EU's decision to revoke sanctions. Both vessels, with their PC3 ice-class specifications, remain well-equipped for operations in polar waters, including regions as extreme as Antarctica. Nonetheless, the 'Audax' and 'Pugnax' still face sanctions from the U.S., Canada, and Switzerland.