Diana Shipping fixed two capesize vessels as rates show gains for the day.
The Simeon Palios-led bulker owner signed a time charter contract with Cargill for the 179,000-dwt Santa Barbara (built 2015) at $12,000 per day, minus a 4.75% commission. The charter, with duration between 12 and 15 months, begins 24 January.
The vessel was last fixed out in December 2015 to Germany's RW Supply & Trading at $7,500 per day.
The fixture comes as rates stage a rebound. The Baltic Exchange's average capesize freight index rose 12% Wednesday to reach just over $12,500 per day.
After a late November rally that sent rates up to $20,000 per day, capesizes fell as low as $6,700 per day in December. Since the beginning of the year, capesize rates have averaged $11,300 per day.
The New York-listed owner also chartered out the 171,800-dwt Salt Lake City (built 2005) to Uniper at a gross charter rate of $9,000 per day, minus a 5% commission. The 12 to 16 month charter starts 20 January.
The Salt Lake City was last fixed out to K Noble at a rate based on the Baltic Capesize Index plus 3.5%.
The rate is a slight improvement over other recent fixtures for older ships. Oldendorff fixed the Shinyo-owned 176,000-dwt Shinyo Alliance (built 2005) last week at $7,500 per day.
The employments are anticipated to generate approximately $7.38m of gross revenue, Diana added.
