6-K

UNITED STATES

SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

Washington, D.C. 20549

FORM 6-K

REPORT OFFOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER

PURSUANTTO RULE 13a-16 OR 15d-16

UNDERTHE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

For the month of June 2023

Commission File Number 001-41095

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

(Translation of registrant’s name into English)

331 KifissiasAvenue Erithrea 14561 Athens, Greece

(Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F  ☒             Form 40-F  ☐

INFORMATION CONTAINED INTHIS FORM 6-K REPORT

Attached to this report on Form 6-K as Exhibits 99.1 and 99.2, respectively, are (1) a copy of the press release of Imperial Petroleum Inc. (the “Company”) dated June 16, 2023, announcing the declaration of a dividend on its 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock, and (2) a copy of the press release of the Company dated June 21, 2023, announcing the completion of the spin-off of C3is Inc.

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This report on Form 6-K is hereby incorporated by reference into the Company’s Registration Statement on Form F-3 (Reg. No. 333-268663) filed with the SEC on December 2, 2022, including the prospectuses contained therein.

SIGNATURES

Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly authorized.

Date: June 23, 2023

EX-99.1

Exhibit 99.1

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. DECLARES DIVIDEND ON SERIES A PREFERRED SHARES

Athens, Greece, June 16, 2023 – Imperial Petroleum Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPP) (the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil, and drybulk seaborne transportation services, today announced a dividend of approximately $0.546875 per share on its 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock (the “Series A Preferred Shares”), payable on June 30, 2023 to holders of record as of June 27, 2023. The dividend payment relates to the period from the last dividend payment date for the Series A Preferred Shares on March 30, 2023 through June 29, 2023.

There are 795,878 Series A Preferred Shares outstanding as of the date hereof. The Series A Preferred Shares trade on the Nasdaq Capital Market under the ticker symbol “IMPPP”.

ABOUT IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of twelve vessels; five M.R. product tankers, one Aframax oil tanker, two Suezmax tankers and four Handysize dry bulk carriers with a total capacity of 808,000 deadweight tons (dwt). Imperial Petroleum Inc.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP”, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, or impact and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include risks discussed in our filings with the SEC and the following: the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts throughout the world to contain its spread, the strength of

world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, shipyard performance, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.

Company Contact:

Fenia Sakellaris

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

info@imperialpetro.com

EX-99.2

Exhibit 99.2

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. ANNOUNCES COMPLETIONOF SPIN-OFF OF C3IS INC.

Athens, Greece, June 21, 2023 – Imperial Petroleum Inc. (Nasdaq: IMPP) (the “Company”), a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and dry bulk seaborne transportation services, today announced that it has completed the spin-off of its previously wholly-owned subsidiary, C3is Inc., the holding company for two drybulk carriers, effective June 21, 2023.

Imperial Petroleum stockholders and warrantholders received one C3is common share for every eight shares of Imperial Petroleum’s common stock (“Imperial Petroleum common stock”) owned, or in the case of holders of Imperial Petroleum’s outstanding Warrants that they have the right to purchase pursuant to Warrants owned, at the close of business on June 13, 2023 (the “Record Date”). To the extent the distribution would have resulted in any shareholder owning a fractional C3is common share, such fractional shares will be aggregated by the distribution agent into whole shares, sold in the open market at prevailing rates and the net cash proceeds from the sales distributed pro rata to each holder who would otherwise have been entitled to receive fractional C3is common shares in the distribution.

Imperial Petroleum will retain an interest in C3is Inc. through its ownership of Series A Convertible Preferred Stock of C3is Inc., which was not distributed by Imperial Petroleum in the spin-off.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale of any security in any state or jurisdiction in which such offer, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. A registration statement relating to these securities has been filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and become effective. A prospectus may be obtained from the Company.

AboutImperial Petroleum Inc.

Imperial Petroleum Inc. is a ship-owning company providing petroleum products, crude oil and drybulk seaborne transportation services. The Company owns a total of ten vessels; five M.R. product tankers, one Aframax oil tanker, two Suezmax tankers and two Handysize dry bulk carriers with a total capacity of 744,000 deadweight tons (dwt). Imperial Petroleum Inc.’s shares of common stock and 8.75% Series A Cumulative Redeemable Perpetual Preferred Stock are listed on the Nasdaq Capital Market and trade under the symbols “IMPP” and “IMPPP”, respectively.

Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, which are other than statements of historical facts. The forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation,

management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC. cannot assure you that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the expected benefits and costs of the spin-off transaction, the risks discussed in our filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and the following: impact of any resurgence of the COVID-19 pandemic and efforts throughout the world to contain its spread, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including changes in charter hire rates and vessel values, charter counterparty performance, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydockings, shipyard performance, changes in IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC’s operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, ability to obtain financing and comply with covenants in our financing arrangements, or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, the conflict in Ukraine and related sanctions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

Company Contact:

Fenia Sakellaris

IMPERIAL PETROLEUM INC.

info@imperialpetro.com