Diana Shipping Inc., a global shipping company specializing in the ownership and operation of dry bulk vessels, announced that on May 1, 2012 it took delivery of the m/v “Melia”, (formerly “Mining Star”), a 2005 built Panamax dry bulk carrier of 76,225 dwt that the Company entered into an agreement to purchase in March 2012.
As previously announced, the m/v “Melia” is chartered to STX Panocean Co., Ltd., Seoul at a gross rate of US$10,900 per day, minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum eleven (11) months to maximum fourteen (14) months. The charter commenced on Wednesday. This employment is anticipated to generate approximately US$3.6 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charter.
Including the newly-delivered m/v “Melia”, Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet currently consists of 27 dry bulk carriers (17 Panamax, 1 Post-Panamax, 8 Capesize and 1 Newcastlemax), as well as 1 new building Newcastlemax vessel expected to be delivered to the Company during the second quarter of 2012 and 2 new building Ice Class Panamax vessels expected to be delivered to the Company during the fourth quarter of 2013. As of today, the combined carrying capacity of Diana Shipping’s current fleet, excluding the three vessels not yet delivered, is approximately 3.0 million dwt with a weighted average age of 6.1 years.
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Source: Diana Shipping, May 4, 2012