The European Union has formally removed three Mitsui O.S.K. Lines (MOL) Arc4 LNG carriers—North Moon, North Ocean, and North Light—from its sanctions list as part of the bloc’s 18th package of restrictive measures.
The delisting follows written assurances that the vessels will not be used in the transport of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) from the Yamal LNG or Arctic LNG 2 projects.
This marks the first instance of the EU lifting sanctions within the Russian LNG logistics segment since the start of its economic sanctions regime targeting energy transport assets.
The vessels were initially sanctioned in the EU’s 17th package, issued in May 2025, amid concerns over their intended deployment in Russia’s Arctic LNG supply chain, operated by PAO Novatek.
The tankers had entered service only months earlier and are purpose-built to Arc4 ice-class specifications for seasonal operations on the Northern Sea Route.
At the time, MOL publicly objected to the inclusion of the ships on the sanctions list.
In a May 2025 interview, MOL President & CEO Takeshi Hashimoto stated the company was “actively negotiating with the EU through various channels, including the Japanese government,” and expressed frustration over what he called a sudden reclassification: “For a long time, it was asserted that the Yamal project was not subject to sanctions, and suddenly these vessels were sanctioned.”
Following the initial designation, North Ocean, which had been en route to the Russian Arctic, reversed course off the Canary Islands in May and has remained anchored near Singapore since mid-June. It was later joined by North Light.
According to the European Commission’s published documents, the vessels were delisted after receiving “strong and verifiable commitments that they will no longer participate in the transportation of Russian energy associated with the Yamal and Arctic LNG 2 projects.”
The removal is seen as a result of coordinated diplomatic efforts, particularly by Japanese authorities, in response to requests from MOL, Japan’s second-largest shipping company by tonnage.
Mitsui O.S.K. Lines, Ltd. (MOL) is a Tokyo-headquartered, publicly traded shipping company, operating one of the world’s most diverse fleets, including LNG carriers, tankers, and bulkers.
PAO Novatek is Russia’s largest independent natural gas producer and the operator of major Arctic LNG infrastructure, including Yamal LNG and Arctic LNG 2.