Diana Shipping Inc. Majority Owned Subsidiary Takes Delivery Of The Two Previously Announced Containership Vessels

ATHENS, Greece, July 26, 2010 - Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), a global shipping company specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, today announced that Diana Containerships Inc., its majority-owned subsidiary formed for the purpose of investing in containerships, took delivery of the two 3,400 TEU newbuilding containerships built at TKMS Blohm + Voss Nordseewerke GmbH, Emden, Germany from a third-party seller.

The first vessel (MV Sagitta) was delivered on June 29, 2010, and the second (MV Centaurus) was delivered on July 9, 2010. MV Sagitta is currently employed on charter with A.P. Møller-Maersk A/S for a period of minimum nine (9) to maximum twelve (12) months at a gross daily rate of US$16,000. MV Centaurus is currently employed on charter with Hapag Lloyd AG, Hamburg for a gross daily rate of US$8,400 for minimum thirty (30) to maximum sixty (60) days and thereafter will be chartered to CSAV, Valparaiso for a period of about twenty four (24) months plus or minus forty five (45) days at a gross daily rate of US$20,000.

These employments are anticipated to generate approximately US$18 million of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charters.

As previously announced, Diana Shipping has made an investment of US$50 million in Diana Containerships Inc., representing approximately 55% of the issued and outstanding shares of the new entity, with the balance of the common shares held by institutional and accredited investors that acquired the shares in a private transaction.

About the Company
Diana Shipping Inc. is a global provider of shipping transportation services. The Company specializes in transporting dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

Diana Shipping Inc. press release