Bulk carrying Diana Shipping continues to buy box ships

DIANA Shipping, a Greek bulk carrier, with containership ambitions, plans to buy two new 3,400-TEU box ships built in Germany for US$45.5 million.

Athens-based but New York-listed Diana said the first vessel, expected to be delivered before the end of June, is scheduled to be chartered at a gross daily rate of $16,000 with AP Moller-Maersk for a minimum of nine months to a maximum of 12.

The second vessel is expected to be delivered in the first two weeks of July, reports Reuters.

In February, Diana announced it would invest US$50 million in a new start-up company whose core business activity will be the acquisition of containerships. The investment is equivalent to 38 per cent of the common shares in the new company that is valued at $132 million, reported Newark's Journal of Commerce at the time.
(Source:www.schednet.com)