Diana Shipping has taken delivery of a 179,492dwt newly built Capesize dry bulk vessel, the m/v G P Zafirakis.

The vessel is time chartered to RWE Supply & Trading at a gross charter rate of $25,250 a day.

The deal, which is expected to start on 24 August, includes a 5% commission paid to third parties for a period ending on minimum of 14 February 2016 to a maximum of 24 June 2016.

Diana Shipping has entered into a further time charter contract with RWE for the m/v Maia, a 82,193dwt Kamsarmax dry bulk vessel built in 2009.

"The G P Zafirakis and Maia are expected to generate about $17.9m of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charters."

The gross charter rate is $12,000 a day minus a 5% commission paid to third parties, for minimum period of 12 months to a maximum of 16 months.

The charter is expected to start by the end of September.

The G P Zafirakis and Maia are expected to generate about $17.9m of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the time charters.

Diana Shipping’s fleet currently consists of 39 dry bulk vessels, including two Newcastlemax, 11 Capesize, three Post-Panamax, three Kamsarmax and 20 Panamax.

The company also expects to take delivery of two new-build Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels and one new-build Kamsarmax dry bulk vessel during the second quarter of 2016.

The combined carrying capacity of the company’s fleet, excluding the three vessels not yet delivered, is about 4.4 million dwt with a weighted average age of 6.69 years.