d1109924_6-k.htm
FORM 6-K
 
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
 
WASHINGTON, D.C.  20549
 
REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
 
For the month of June 2010
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): [  ].
 
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security holders.
 
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): [  ].
 
Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other Commission filing on EDGAR.
 

 
 

 

INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT
 
Attached to this report on Form 6-K as Exhibit 99.1 is the a press release dated June 21, 2010 announcing the acquisition of two containerships by Diana Shipping Inc.'s majority-owned subsidiary, Diana Containerships Inc.

The information contained in this Report on Form 6-K is hereby incorporated by reference into the Company's registration statement on Form F-3D (File no. 333-150406) filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") with an effective date of April 24, 2008, and the Company's registration statement on Form F-3 ASR (File No. 333-159016) filed with the Commission with an effective date of May 6, 2009.



 
 

 

 
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:  June 21, 2010
By:
/s/ Anastasios Margaronis
   
Anastasios Margaronis
   
President




 
 

 

Exhibit 99.1


Corporate Contact:
Ioannis Zafirakis
Director, Executive Vice-President and Secretary
Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100
Email: izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com
For Immediate Release
Investor and Media Relations:
Edward Nebb
Comm-Counsellors, LLC
Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350
Email: enebb@optonline.net


DIANA SHIPPING INC. SUBSIDIARY AGREES TO ACQUIRE CONTAINERSHIPS
 
ATHENS, Greece, June 21, 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, has entered into agreements to acquire two 3,400 TEU newbuilding containerships built at TKMS Blohm + Voss Nordseewerke GmbH, Emden, Germany from a third-party seller for a purchase price of Euro 37,300,000 each (approximately US$45.5 million based on the Euro/Dollar exchange rate as of June 8, 2010).
 
The first vessel is scheduled to be delivered to Diana Containerships Inc. by June 25, 2010, and the second is scheduled to be delivered between July 5 and July 15, 2010.  Upon delivery, the first vessel is scheduled to be 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.
 
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.

 
 

 


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, vessels 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.

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