Diana Shipping Inc., a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, has agreed, through separate wholly-owned subsidiaries, to acquire nine modern ultramax dry bulk vessels built between 2015 and 2018, with an average vessel age of approximately 5.4 years, from Sea Trade Holdings Inc. (“Sea Trade”), an unaffiliated third party. The vessel deliveries are expected to occur during the fourth quarter of 2022, according to the company's release.
Diana Shipping and Sea Trade have entered into a Master Agreement pursuant to which Diana Shipping will acquire the nine vessels for an aggregate purchase price of US$330 million, of which US$220 million will be paid in cash and US$110 million is to be paid in the form of 18,487,395, in aggregate, newly issued common shares of Diana Shipping, at a price of US$5.95 per share.
Diana Shipping intends to fund the cash portion of the consideration with available cash on hand and is currently negotiating terms of a new credit facility with a major European lender, the proceeds of which will be used to fund the balance of the cash purchase price. The common shares will be issued upon the closing of each vessel delivery. Diana Shipping has agreed to register the common shares consideration to be issued to Sea Trade for resale pursuant to a registration statement to be filed with the SEC.
After giving effect to the delivery of the nine vessels and upon completion of the previously announced sale of the m/v Baltimore, Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet will consist of 43 dry bulk vessels (4 Newcastlemax, 11 Capesize, 5 Post-Panamax, 6 Kamsarmax, 8 Panamax and 9 Ultramax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of our fleet, including the m/v Baltimore and excluding the nine vessels not yet delivered, is approximately 4.5 million dwt with a weighted average age of 10.53 years. After the consummation of this transaction and upon completion of the previously announced sale of m/v Baltimore, the carrying capacity of the company fleet will be approximately 4.9 million dwt.