Semiramis Paliou is entering the tanker market through OceanPal, which was launched in 2021 as a spin-off of Diana Shipping and is listed on the US stock exchange.
Paliou has been active exclusively in the bulk carrier market until today, with OceanPal controlling five ships (three capes and two panamaxes) and Diana Shipping having 41 ships in its possession.
In particular, OceanPal announced yesterday that it has agreed to become a strategic partner and invest in the Norwegian shipping entity RFSea Infrastructure II AS, which will build two chemical tankers with a capacity of 6,600 dwt each at the Chinese Wuhu Shipyard. The two ships will be delivered in the fourth quarter of 2025 and the first quarter of 2026.
Both ships will be able to use methanol (methanol-ready), while according to shipping sources, they will also be ice-class (they can travel in frozen seas).
OceanPal works with a private London-based alternative investment and trade management firm focused on the shipping industry, as well as other partners and investors.
The CEO of OceanPal, Robert Perri, spoke about the favorable conditions of the chemical tanker market, explaining the investment opening.
“We are delighted to be investing in these modern methanol-ready chemical tankers in a market where we believe the fundamentals will improve over the coming years,” he noted.
He also stated that the investment will improve the company’s environmental footprint, as these newbuilds are expected to be 20%-25% more fuel efficient, compared to conventional chemical tankers.
