Diana Shipping Inc., a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, has announced that, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, it has agreed to extend the present time charter contract with SwissMarine Services S.A., Geneva, for one of its Capesize dry bulk vessels, the m/v Houston, for a period of about thirteen months to maximum fifteen months. The gross charter rate is US$5,150 per day for the first fifteen days of the charter period and US$10,000 per day for the balance period of the time charter, in each case minus a 5% commission paid to third parties. The new charter period is expected to commence tomorrow.
The “Houston” is a 177,729 dwt Capesize dry bulk vessel built in 2009.
The employment extension of “Houston” is anticipated to generate approximately US$3.68 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.
Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet currently consists of 48 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 3 Post-Panamax, 4 Kamsarmax and 23 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of Diana Shipping’s fleet is approximately 5.7 million dwt with a weighted average age of 7.71 years.
About Diana Shipping
Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. Diana Shipping’s vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.