d983457_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 April 2009
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 1 is a press release dated April 2, 2009
of Diana Shipping Inc. announcing that it has entered into a long term time
charter contract for the m/v Danae.
This
report is incorporated by reference into the Company’s F-3 Registration
Statement (File no. 333-143635) that was filed with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (the “Commission”) with an effective date of June 15, 2007, and the
Company’s F-3 Registration Statement (File no. 333-150406) that was filed with
the Commission with an effective date of April 24, 2008.
Exhibit
1
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Corporate
Contact:
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Ioannis
Zafirakis
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Director,
Executive Vice-President and Secretary
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Telephone:
+ 30-210-9470100
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Email:
izafirakis@dianashippinginc.com
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For Immediate Release
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Investor
and Media Relations:
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Edward
Nebb
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Comm-Counsellors,
LLC
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Telephone:
+ 1-203-972-8350
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Email:
enebb@optonline.net
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DIANA
SHIPPING INC. ANNOUNCES LONG TERM TIME CHARTER CONTRACT FOR MV
DANAE
ATHENS,
GREECE April 2, 2009 – Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), a global shipping
company specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, today announced
that it has entered into a time charter contract with Augustea Atlantica Srl,
Naples, Italy, or their fully guaranteed nominee, for one of its Panamax dry
bulk carriers, the m/v Danae, at a gross daily charter rate of US$12,000 for a
period of about twenty-two (22) to about twenty-four (24) months.
The
charter is expected to commence on or about April 6, 2009 and will further
increase the Company’s employment cover through 2010 and into early 2011. This
employment is expected to generate approximately US$8 million of gross revenues
for the minimum scheduled period of the charter.
The m/v
Danae is a 75,106 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier built in 2001.
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.
# # #
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.
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DIANA
SHIPPING INC. |
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(registrant) |
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Dated: April
2, 2009
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By:
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/s/ Anastassis
Margaronis
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Anastassis
Margaronis
President
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SK 23159 0002
983457