Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has entered into a time charter contract with Koch Shipping Pte. Ltd., Singapore, for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the m/v Coronis

Diana Shipping Announces Time Charter Contract for mv Coronis with Koch and Cancellation of the Sale of a Capesiz Dry Bulk Vessel, the mv Norfolk
Caption: Bulk carrier Coronis - Image courtesy of željko

The gross charter rate is US$8,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of about nine (9) months to about ten (10) months. The charter commenced earlier today. The m/v Coronis was previously chartered to Tongli Shipping Pte. Ltd., at a gross charter rate of US$5,300 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties.

The “Coronis” is a 74,381 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2006.

This employment is anticipated to generate approximately US$2.04 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.

The Company also announced that it has received a notice of cancellation of the Memorandum of Agreement, between a separate wholly-owned subsidiary and an unaffiliated third party, to sell the 2002-built Capesize vessel Norfolk, as previously announced.

The buyers elected to exercise their right to cancel the Contract as a result of vessel’s missing the cancelling date stipulated therein, due to unforeseen events, unrelated to the condition of the vessel, and have requested the refund of the deposit of the purchase price. The Company has taken steps to release the deposit to the buyers.

Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet currently consists of 42 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 5 Kamsarmax and 14 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Company’s fleet is approximately 5.2 million dwt with a weighted average age of 9.68 years.

Source: Diana Shipping