The United States has announced a new round of sanctions targeting entities linked to Russia. The second sanctions list of 2025 includes companies from Russia, China, the UAE, and Türkiye. Among the Turkish entities blacklisted, the most prominent is Kuzey Star Shipyard, a major player in the maritime industry.
The shipyard, located in Tuzla, Istanbul, had secured a $69 million contract with Russia’s Atomflot, a subsidiary of Rosatom, to build a floating dock for nuclear icebreakers. This dock, designed to support icebreakers operating in Arctic conditions, was completed and had already passed through the Bosporus. The project was expected to be delivered to Murmansk within 29 months.
Atomflot, which also operates the world's largest nuclear-powered icebreaker fleet, is linked to Russia’s state nuclear energy sector, including the Akkuyu Nuclear Power Plant in Türkiye. This connection led to Kuzey Star being included in the U.S. sanctions list.
Kuzey Star Shipyard has responded to its inclusion in the US Treasury Department's OFAC sanctions list, stating that the decision stems from a 2021 business deal with Russian companies made prior to the Ukraine-Russia war. The company expressed confidence that legal action will resolve the misunderstanding and assured the public that it will continue its operations and investments without disruption.