ATHENS, Greece, Nov. 03, 2016 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX ), (the “Company”), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that, through a wholly-owned subsidiary, it provided a notice of cancellation of the shipbuilding contract with Yangzhou Dayang Shipbuilding Co., Ltd. and Shanghai Sinopacific International Trade Co., Ltd., dated January 8, 2014 (the “Contract”), and Addendum No. 1 to the Contract dated April 21, 2014 with Sumec Marine Co., Ltd. with respect to a Kamsarmax dry bulk carrier, Hull No. DY6006, with an original delivery date of May 31, 2016. The Company has exercised its right under the Contract to cancel the Contract due to a delay in delivery of 150 days after the original delivery date and to claim a refund of the pre-delivery installment payments in an aggregate amount of approximately US$8.65 million together with interest at a rate of 5% per annum from the date of receipt of the installment until the date payment is received by the Company. The refund of the aforementioned pre-delivery installments together with interest thereon is covered by a Refund Guarantee from the Export-Import Bank of China dated June 26, 2014 (the “Refund Guarantee”). However, there can be no assurance as to the amounts ultimately payable or the timing of any refunds received under the Contract or the Refund Guarantee.
Diana Shipping Inc.’s fleet currently consists of 46 dry bulk vessels (2 Newcastlemax, 14 Capesize, 3 Post-Panamax, 4 Kamsarmax and 23 Panamax). In addition, the Company expects to take delivery of two new-building Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels during the fourth quarter of 2016 and the first quarter of 2017. As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Company’s fleet, excluding the two vessels not yet delivered, is approximately 5.2 million dwt with a weighted average age of 8.03 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Company’s website, www.dianashippinginc.com . Information contained on the Company’s website does not constitute a part of this press release.
About the Company
Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Company’s vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.
Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.
The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words “believe,” “anticipate,” “intends,” “estimate,” “forecast,” “project,” “plan,” “potential,” “may,” “should,” “expect,” “pending” and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.
The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management’s examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.
In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.
Corporate Contact: Ioannis Zafirakis Director, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100 Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com Website: www.dianashippinginc.com Investor and Media Relations: Edward Nebb Comm-Counsellors, LLC Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350 Email: enebb@optonline.net
