Second deal in a month lifts Greek owner’s growing fleet to nine
DIANA Containerships has bought two container vessels from NOL in a deal including two-year charters back to boxline APL.
The Greece-based, Nasdaq-listed boxship specialist said it will pay $30m each for the 1995-built APL Sardonyx and the 1996-built APL Spinel, both of 4,750 teu capacities.
Each vessel will earn a daily rate of $24,750 from the APL charters. They are to be delivered within the first quarter of this year.
The charterer has an option applying to each vessel for a third year at the same rate and thereafter an option for a further year a rate of $28,000 per day.
For the minimum periods, the employment of the two vessels should add $33.5m to the company’s gross revenues, Diana estimated.
The deal is the second of two raids either side of the festive period which have lifted Diana Containerships’ fleet to nine vessels.
Just before Christmas, the Greek owner confirmed a deal to purchase two 3,750 teu units, Cap San Marco and Cap San Raphael, from Hamburg Süd at a price of $33m each.
The agreements included three-year charters back to the German operator.
Analysts hailed that deal as a boost for Diana and there was also a positive reception for a new revolving credit facility for up to $100m lined up with Royal Bank of Scotland.
Chairman and chief executive Simeon Palios said that within six months of a June 2011 public offering the company “succeeded in putting that money to work with the acquisition of good ships from reputable liner operators with very lucrative time charters attached from their respective sellers.”
The company said it intends “to continue to capitalise on investment opportunities by purchasing additional containerships”.
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