Diana Shipping Takes Delivery of Newcastlemax Bulk Carrier

Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX) took delivery of the newly-built m/v "Los Angeles", a Newcastlemax dry bulk carrier of 206,104 dwt that was contracted in April 2010. As previously announced, the m/v "Los Angeles" is chartered to EDF Trading Ltd., London, at a  gross rate of US$18,000 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a minimum forty-six (46) to a maximum fifty (50) month period. The charter is expected to commence tomorrow. 

This employment is anticipated to generate approximately $24.8m of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charter.

Separately, the Company also announced that on February 7, 2012, it completed the drawdown of $16.125m from a term loan facility with Nordea Bank Finland Plc, London Branch, through a wholly owned subsidiary. The purpose of this facility is to partially finance the acquisition cost of the m/v "Leto" which was delivered to the Company on January 16, 2012. 

The Company also announced today that on February 6, 2012 it entered into a time charter contract with EDF Trading Ltd., London, for one of its Panamax dry bulk carriers, the m/v "Thetis", at a gross charter rate of US$10,500 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum eighteen (18) months to maximum twenty-eight (28) months. The charter is expected to commence in mid-February. 

This employment is anticipated to generate approximately US$5.7 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charter. Including the newly-delivered m/v "Los Angeles", Diana Shipping Inc.'s fleet currently consists of 26 dry bulk carriers (16 Panamax, 1 Post-Panamax, 8 Capesize and 1 Newcastlemax) with a weighted average age of 5.9 years. The Company also previously announced one additional Newcastlemax new-building dry bulk carrier that is expected to be delivered during the second quarter of 2012. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Company's