OceanPal in Partnership with NEAR Foundation Announces $120M PIPE Investment to Launch SovereignAI to Buildout Near-Powered AI Infrastructure
OceanPal OceanPal (US:OP) Prnewswire·2025-10-28 13:10

Core Viewpoint - OceanPal Inc. has successfully closed a $120 million private investment in public equity transaction to fund a digital asset treasury strategy through its new subsidiary, SovereignAI Services LLC, aimed at commercializing the NEAR Protocol for AI use cases [1][2][3] Group 1: Investment and Strategy - The net proceeds from the transaction will be utilized to implement a digital asset treasury strategy focused on the NEAR Protocol, which is designed for AI applications [1][2] - SovereignAI aims to acquire at least 10% of the NEAR token supply over time, transitioning from passive accumulation to active infrastructure development [2][4] - The strategy is supported by a world-class advisory board and strategic partners, including the NEAR Foundation, to enhance the execution of its goals [4][6] Group 2: Leadership and Expertise - OceanPal's newly appointed Co-CEO, Sal Ternullo, emphasizes the potential of NEAR as a leading project in the digital asset market, aiming to leverage its AI capabilities for various enterprise sectors [3][4] - The executive team includes COO David Schwed, who has extensive experience in information security and privacy, enhancing the company's operational capabilities [3][4] Group 3: Market Position and Future Outlook - SovereignAI is positioned at the intersection of AI and digital ownership, focusing on building a blockchain-native, confidential AI infrastructure [4][5] - The company plans to capitalize on the growing demand for privacy-first, regulatory-compliant AI solutions across industries such as finance, healthcare, and media [3][4] - OceanPal will continue its core operations in shipping transportation while expanding into the digital asset space through SovereignAI [8][14]