Spyros M. Polemis was born in Greece and educated in Athens, London and the United States of America, where he obtained a Degree in Mechanical Engineering, majoring in Naval Architecture from Stevens Institute of Technology.

The Polemis family has roots in shipping that date back several centuries. He is Chairman and Managing director of Seacrest Shipping Co. Ltd., the London representative of a large group of shipping interests with a history of more than 200 years in the business.

He is Chairman and a Board member of a number of organisations, some of which are; Chairman of ABS U.K. National Committee, a member of the Board of the North of England P&I Association, and a past Chairman, an ex-Chairman of the Newcastle P&I Association, and ex-Chairman of the International Dry Cargo Shipowners Association (INTERCARGO). S.M. Polemis is the Immediate Past Chairman of the International Chamber of Shipping (ICS), the international association for merchant ship owners, and also of its sister organization, the International Shipping Federation.

As head of the ICS, Mr. Polemis worked with all shipping associations worldwide, government Ministers and governmental agencies, most notably the International Maritime Organization (IMO), a United Nations agency as well as the International Labour Organisation, (ILO)

Mr. S.M. Polemis is also on the Stevens Institute of Technology Board of Trustees in May 2009.