Company Description
Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX) is a global provider of shipping transportation services in the deep sea freight transportation industry. According to the company’s disclosures, it specializes in the ownership and bareboat charter-in of dry bulk vessels and focuses on transporting dry bulk cargoes such as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes. Diana Shipping is part of the broader Transportation and Warehousing sector.
Core business model
Diana Shipping states that its vessels are employed primarily on short to medium-term time charters. Under these arrangements, its dry bulk carriers are chartered out to third-party charterers at agreed daily rates for defined periods. The operation and employment of its fleet of dry bulk vessels is described as the company’s main activity and source of revenue in the available information.
The company also indicates that it bareboat charters-in certain vessels, meaning it controls additional ships under long-term charter arrangements rather than direct ownership. These chartered-in vessels operate alongside owned vessels under similar commercial conditions in the dry bulk market.
Fleet composition and vessel types
Based on multiple company press releases, Diana Shipping’s fleet consists of dry bulk carriers across several major size classes. The company reports operating:
- Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels
- Capesize dry bulk vessels
- Post-Panamax dry bulk vessels
- Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels
- Panamax dry bulk vessels
- Ultramax dry bulk vessels
In its recent announcements, Diana Shipping notes that its fleet "currently consists of 36 dry bulk vessels" across these classes, and that it expects to take delivery of two methanol dual fuel new-building Kamsarmax dry bulk vessels in the future. The company also provides detailed fleet employment tables in its financial communications, listing each vessel, its deadweight tonnage, charterers, gross daily charter rates and indicative redelivery windows, illustrating a diversified deployment of ships across different charterers and routes.
Cargoes and trade routes
In repeated “About the Company” sections of its press releases, Diana Shipping explains that its vessels transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including commodities such as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials. These cargoes move along worldwide shipping routes, aligning the company with global seaborne trade in major bulk commodities.
Chartering activity and counterparties
Recent press releases and related Form 6-K filings show Diana Shipping actively entering into time charter contracts for specific vessels with a variety of counterparties. Examples disclosed by the company include:
- Bunge SA, Geneva, for the Ultramax vessel m/v DSI Altair
- Paralos Shipping Pte. Ltd., for Kamsarmax vessels such as m/v Maia and m/v Myrsini
- Glencore Freight Pte. Ltd., for the Capesize vessel m/v P. S. Palios
- SwissMarine Pte. Ltd., Singapore, for the Capesize vessel m/v Seattle
- Stone Shipping Ltd and Western Bulk Carriers AS, for Ultramax vessels including m/v DSI Pollux and m/v DSI Andromeda
These contracts are typically described with gross daily charter rates, third-party commission percentages, and minimum and maximum charter periods. The company often discloses the anticipated gross revenue expected from each time charter over its minimum scheduled term, underlining the importance of charter coverage and vessel utilization in its business model.
Corporate status and listings
Diana Shipping Inc. is identified in its filings as a foreign private issuer that files reports with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Form 20-F and Form 6-K. The company’s common shares trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol DSX. Its Form 6-K reports indicate that it maintains registration statements on Form F-3 that became effective with the SEC, and that various press releases and investor presentations are incorporated by reference into those registration statements.
Geographic base
In its SEC filings, Diana Shipping lists its principal executive office in Palaio Faliro, Athens, Greece. The company describes itself as a global shipping company, reflecting its participation in worldwide dry bulk trade rather than a focus on a single regional market.
Strategic and corporate developments
Available press releases and corresponding Form 6-K filings show that Diana Shipping is active in fleet management, chartering strategy and corporate actions. Examples include:
- Entering new time charter contracts and direct continuations of existing charters for vessels across its fleet.
- Signing and, in some cases, terminating Memoranda of Agreement for the sale of specific vessels, such as the Ultramax dry bulk vessel m/v DSI Drammen.
- Proposing an acquisition of all outstanding shares of Genco Shipping & Trading Limited not already owned by Diana, as disclosed in a press release and related Schedule 13D amendment referenced in a Form 6-K.
These disclosures illustrate how the company adjusts its fleet composition and charter coverage and considers corporate transactions within the dry bulk shipping industry.
Financial reporting and metrics
In a press release furnished on Form 6-K, Diana Shipping reports time charter revenues, voyage expenses, vessel operating expenses, net income and other financial data for specified reporting periods. The company also presents fleet data, including average number of vessels, number of vessels, weighted average age, ownership days, available days, operating days and fleet utilization.
Diana Shipping explains the use of certain non-GAAP measures common in the shipping industry, such as the time charter equivalent (TCE) rate and daily vessel operating expenses. The TCE rate is defined as time charter revenues less voyage expenses divided by available days, and is used by management to compare daily earnings across different charter types. Daily vessel operating expenses are described as vessel operating expenses divided by ownership days, covering items such as crew wages, insurance, repairs and maintenance, spares and consumables, tonnage taxes and other miscellaneous expenses.
Dividends and capital markets activity
In its financial results press release, Diana Shipping notes that it has declared a cash dividend on its common stock based on its results of operations for a particular quarter, and discloses the number of common shares and warrants outstanding as of a given date. The company also references its effective Form F-3 shelf registration statements, which provide a framework for potential capital markets transactions, and indicates that certain press releases and investor presentations are incorporated by reference into those registration statements.
Management and governance updates
A Form 6-K filing describes resignations and appointments of officers approved by the Board of Directors, including changes to positions such as President, co-Chief Financial Officer, Chief Strategy Officer, Secretary and Treasurer. The filing also provides biographical information for a senior officer of an affiliated ship-management company, outlining experience in managing fleets of bulk carriers, container vessels and tankers, and responsibilities across technical operations and strategic planning.
Regulatory communications
Diana Shipping regularly furnishes current reports on Form 6-K to the SEC. These filings typically attach press releases related to time charter contracts, fleet changes, corporate proposals, financial results and investor presentations. The company often states that the information in these reports is incorporated by reference into its effective registration statements on Form F-3, linking ongoing operational updates with its broader regulatory disclosures.