On 23 October 2025, the EU Council adopted amendments to, among others, EU Council Regulation 833/2014 of 31 July 2014 concerning restrictive measures in view of Russia’s actions destabilising the situation in Ukraine, and EU Council Regulation 269/2014 of 17 March 2014 concerning restrictive measures in respect of actions undermining or threatening the territorial integrity, sovereignty and independence of Ukraine.
With the amendments, 116 new vessels have been designated under Annex XLII to Article 3s of EU Council Regulation 833/2014, while four designations have been removed. The new designations mainly concern tankers, but also bulk carriers and cargo ships.
The complete list of EU-designated vessels can be found here
From 25 April 2026, a new ban will apply on the purchase, import and transfer of LNG (liquefied natural gas) originating in or exported from Russia, as well as on assistance in relation thereto. Existing contracts are exempt under certain conditions until 1 January 2027, cf. Article 3ra of Regulation 833/2014.
A new ban has also been introduced on selling, making resources available or entering into contracts relating to ships operated by entities established in Russia, which entails the transfer or exposure of risk from previous insurance coverage, cf. Article 5u.
It will furthermore be prohibited to export ships, including dredgers, pleasure craft, tugs, pusher craft, yachts and other recreational craft, cf. Article 3k. A ban has also been introduced on the export of cruise ships or ships intended for passenger or freight transport exceeding a value of €50,000. This also applies to the export of accessories, spare parts and assistance related to such vessels, cf. Article 3h.
Regarding the ban on imports of refined products made from crude oil of Russian origin, additional partner countries have been added (Australia, Japan and New Zealand), from which documentation will not be required, cf. Article 3ma.
A new option to designate ports in other third countries has been adopted but not yet used. If ports in third countries are designated, a transaction ban will apply to those ports, cf. Article 5ae.
Most sanctions regimes are subject to ongoing adjustments, so it is advisable to follow the changes closely. An overview of current EU sanctions can be found at sanctionsmap.eu.
The Danish Maritime Authority will provide information on the current sanctions regime to the greatest extent possible at dma.dk/sanctions.
It is the responsibility of companies to comply with the applicable sanctions at all times and, if necessary, to seek legal assistance. For questions concerning maritime sanctions, please contact us at sanktioner@dma.dk.