Diana Containerships Inc., a global shipping company specializing in owning and operating containerships, today announced that the Company took delivery of the Panamax container vessel, m/v “APL Sardonyx”, a 1995-built vessel of approximately 4,750 TEU capacity, on Friday, February 17, 2012.
As previously announced, the APL Sardonyx is chartered to APL (Bermuda) Ltd., or to a guaranteed nominee or to another entity of the NOL Group with similar or better net worth than APL (Bermuda) Ltd. for a period of minimum twenty-four (24) months plus or minus forty-five (45) days at a daily rate of US$24,750. The charterer has the option to employ the vessel for a further twelve (12) month period plus or minus forty-five (45) days, at a daily rate of US$24,750 starting twenty-four (24) months after delivery of the vessel to the charterer. After that period the charterer has the option to employ the vessel for a further twelve (12) month period plus or minus forty-five (45) days, at a daily rate of US$28,000 starting thirty-six (36) months after delivery of the vessel to the charterer. Options must be declared by the charterer not later than twenty (20) months for the first option and thirty-two (32) months for the second option after the delivery date to the charterer. Daily rates include a total commission of 2% paid to third parties and Diana Shipping Services S.A.
The employment of the vessel is anticipated to generate approximately US$16.7 million of revenues for the minimum agreed period of the charter.
Separately, Diana Containerships Inc. also announced today that it has completed the drawdown of an additional US$8.4 million under the previously announced revolving credit facility of up to US$100 million with The Royal Bank of Scotland plc, which may be increased to US$150 million subject to further syndication. With the drawdown announced today, Diana Containerships Inc. has completed the drawdown of a total of US$83.9 million under the above mentioned revolving credit facility.
Including the newly delivered APL Sardonyx, the Diana Containerships Inc. fleet currently consists of 8 Panamax container vessels. The Company also previously announced the purchase of another Panamax container vessel, the m/v “APL Spinel”, which is expected to be delivered by the end of February 2012.
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World Maritime News Staff, February 21, 2012; Image: Diana Containerships