Diana Shipping has confirmed buying an ultramax bulker for $28m on Tuesday, a day after a source close to the company told TradeWinds that the acquisition had not been concluded.
The New York-listed owner of 41 bulkers said on Tuesday that it has signed a memorandum of understanding to buy the 63,400-dwt Nord Potomac (built 2016) for $27.9m.
Athens-based Diana expects to take delivery of the Panama-flag ship, which is owned by Nissen Kaiun and operated by Norden, at the beginning of April.
The Japanese-built vessel with a scrubber has a market value of $28.1m and a demolition value of $4.74m, according to VesselsValue.
Clarksons gives a current market value of $28.5m for a five-year-old, 63,000-dwt handymax, up from $27.5m in late December.
Semiramis Paliou-led Diana will own nine ultramaxes once the sale is complete. The company charters in one ultramax, the 60,300-dwt DSI Andromeda (built 2016).
Two weeks ago, Diana sold a fifth vintage bulker to OceanPal, a late 2021 spinoff that it started with its three oldest bulkers.
The owner offloaded the 76,200-dwt Melia (built 2005) to New York-listed OceanPal for $14m.
OceanPal paid Diana $4m for the ship and plans to pay the balance on delivery this month with $10m-worth of preferred stock.
The Melia, which was built by Japan’s Tsuneishi Zosen, has a market value of $13.1m and a scrap value of $5.83m.
