d857184_6-k.htm
UNITED
STATES
SECURITIES
AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON,
D.C. 20549
FORM
6-K
REPORT
OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16
OF THE
SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
For
the
month of February 2008
Commission
File Number: 001-32458
DIANA
SHIPPING INC.
(Translation
of registrant’s name into English)
Pendelis
16, 175 64 Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece
(Address
of principal executive office)
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports under
cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.
Form
20-F
[X] Form 40-F [ ]
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ___
Indicate
by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as permitted
by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)7: ___
Indicate
by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information contained
in
this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the Commission pursuant
to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Yes
[_] No [X]
If
“Yes”
is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
INFORMATION
CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
Attached
to this report on Form 6-K as Exhibit 1 is a press release dated February 12,
2008 of Diana Shipping Inc. (the “Company”) announcing that it has taken
delivery of the 164,218, dwt Capesize dry bulk carrier “Thalassini Kyra”,
renamed “Norfolk”, built in 2002 by China Shipbuilding Corporation, Kaohsiung
Shipyard.
Exhibit
1
| |
Corporate
Contact:
|
| |
Ioannis
Zafirakis
|
| |
Director
and Vice-President
|
| |
Telephone:
+ 30-210-9470100
|
| |
Email:
izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com
|
| |
|
|
For
Immediate
Release
|
|
| |
|
| |
Investor
and Media Relations:
|
| |
Edward
Nebb
|
| |
Euro
RSCG Magnet
|
| |
Telephone:
+ 1-212-367-6848
|
| |
Email:
ed.nebb@eurorscg.com
|
| |
|
DIANA
SHIPPING INC. ANNOUNCES DELIVERY
OF CAPESIZE BULK CARRIER
ATHENS,
GREECE, February12,
2008-
Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), a
global shipping transportation company specializing in dry bulk cargoes, today
announced that the Company has takendelivery
of the 164,218,
dwt Capesize dry bulk carrier
“Thalassini
Kyra”,
renamed “Norfolk”,
built in 2002byChina
Shipbuilding Corporation,
Kaohsiung Shipyard.The
agreement to purchase this vessel
was originally announced on October 17, 2007.
As
previously announced, “Norfolk”was
purchased for US$135 million
and is chartered as of
February 12, 2008 to Corus UK
Ltd.,
as agents on behalf of Corus Staal
B.V.,
for a period of minimum 59 to maximum
61
months, at a daily rate of
US$74,750 less 3.75% commission. Current employment is anticipated to
generate approximately US$133 million of gross revenues for the Company over
the
minimum scheduled period of the charter.
Including
the newly-delivered
“Norfolk”,
the Diana Shipping Inc. fleet currently consists
of 19drybulk
carriers (13 Panamax and 6Capesize)with
a weighted average age of 3.4 years
only.The Company also
previously
announced
two Capesize new-building dry
bulk carriers that are
expected to be delivered
during the second quarter of 2010. A table describing the current
Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Company’s website, www.dianashippinginc.com.
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.
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,”
“will,” “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.
# # #
Pursuant
to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the registrant
has
duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto
duly authorized.
DIANA
SHIPPING INC.
(registrant)
|
Dated: February
20, 2008
|
By:
|
/s/
Anastassis Margaronis
|
| |
|
Anastassis
Margaronis
President
|
SK
23159 0002 857184