Diana Containerships Adds Sixth Vessel to Charter Fleet

Vessel operator and owner Diana Containerships on Thursday added a sixth ship to its fleet of containerships for hire.

The vessel, capable of carrying 4,206 20-foot equivalent units, was built in 1989 and is on charter to Maersk Line for a minimum of 24 months, plus or minus 45 days, at a daily rate of $21,450 less a 2.25 percent commission. Maersk Line has the option to employ the vessel for another 12 months plus or minus 45 days, at a daily rate of $25,000 less a 2.25 percent commission starting 24 months after delivery of the vessel to the charterer.

The employment of the vessel is anticipated to generate approximately $14.5 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charter.

The ship’s delivery came as Diana Containerships, a Marshall Islands corporation spun off by dry bulk shipowner Diana Shipping in January, completed a stock offering on June 15 it hoped would raise $168 million.

The NASDAQ-listed shipping line posted first quarter profit of $256,829, reversing a year-earlier loss of $236,682.

-- Contact Peter T. Leach at pleach@joc.com. Follow him on Twitter @petertleach.

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