Diana Shipping finalizes time charter contract with Unico Logistics

Unico Logistics agreed to lease one Panamax bulk carrier from Athens-based shipowner at a gross charter rate of $11,900 per day, minus a 5 percent commission to third parties, for a minimum of nine months.    Athens, Greece-based transportation services company Diana Shipping, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, has entered into a time charter contract with Seoul, South Korea-based Unico Logistics Co., Ltd. for one of its Panamax dry bulk vessels, the M/V Maera.
   The gross charter rate, Diana Containerships said Sept. 18, is $11,900 USD per day, minus a five percent commission to third parties, for a minimum of nine months to a maximum of 11 months. The charter is expected to commence on Sept. 19. The M/V Maera was previously chartered to Transgrain Shipping B.V., Rotterdam, at a gross charter rate of $8,500 USD daily, minus a five percent commission paid to third parties, for 68 days.
   The Marshall Islands-flagged cargo vessel Maera is a 75,403 dwt Panamax dry bulk vessel built in 2013.
   The employment, Diana Shipping said, is expected to generate about $3.21 million USD of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charter.
   This is the second charter agreement sealed by Diana Shipping in the past two months. In July, the company agreed to an 18-month deal with Maersk Line A/S for one of its post-Panamax container vessels, the M/V Puelo.
   The Puelo, which has an overall length of 304 meters (997 feet) and a 40-meter (141 feet) breadth, is a 6,541-TEU, Marshall Islands-flagged container vessel built in 2006.
   Also in July, DS revealed that it had agreed to extend a time charter contract with CMA CGM, Marseille, for one of its Panamax container vessels, the M/V Centaurus, for a minimum of eight months and a maximum of 12 months.
   The two recent contracts, according to Diana Shipping, are expected to generate about $4.45 million in gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charters.