The Greek dry bulk owner Diana Shipping led-by the Palios family, a shipping specialist in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels, reported today that through its subsidiary has sealed a time charter contract deal with Cargill International S.A., Geneva, for one of its kamsarmax dry bulk vessels, Leonidas P. C.

The charter deal has a gross charter rate of US$17,000 per day, minus a 4.75% commission paid to third parties, for a period of minimum 11 to maximum 13 months. The charter commenced earlier today.

The “Leonidas P. C.” is a 2011-built kamsarmax of 82,165 deadweight dry bulk vessel, and the owner expects to make US$5.61 million of gross revenue of the charter´s minimum scheduled period.

Diana´s Shipping fleet currently consists of 41 dry bulk vessels (4 newcastlemax, 10 capesize, 5 post-panamax, 6 kamsarmax, 7 panamax and 9 ultramax). The company also expects to take delivery of 1 ultramax dry bulk vessel by the beginning of April of 2023.

As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the company’s fleet, excluding the 1 ultramax dry bulk vessel not yet delivered, is approximately 4.7 million deadweight with a weighted average age of 9.95 years.

The Greek dry bulk owner reported in the previous month its financial results for the fourth quarter and whole year of 2022, a new credit facility with a major European bank in an amount of up to $100 million, cash and special dividend declarations, and changes in the company’s board of directors.

Specifically, the shipowner reported for the fourth quarter of 2022 a net income of $25.7 million, and net income attributed to common stockholders of $24.2 million.

The New-York listed company also reports for the year 2022 a net income amounted to $119.1 million, and net income attributed to common stockholders amounted to $113.3 million, in comparison with 2021 which the company had a net income of $57.4 million, and net income attributed to common stockholders of $51.6 million.

The company also announced changes in the size of the board of directors from nine to eleven members.