Diana Shipping Time Charter Contracts

Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE:DSX), a global shipping company specializing in the transportation of dry bulk cargoes, announced that it has entered into a time charter contract with Louis Dreyfus Commodities Suisse S.A., for one of its Panamax dry bulk carriers, the m/v Nirefs, at a gross charter rate of $21,000 per day for a period of about 23 to about 25 months. The charter is expected to commence in the middle of February 2010.

The company also announced that it has entered into a time charter contract with C Transport Panamax Ltd., Isle of Man, for one of its Panamax dry bulk carriers, the m/v Erato, at a gross charter rate of US$20,500 per day for a period of minimum 21 to maximum 24 months. The charter is expected to commence in the middle of March 2010.

These employments are anticipated to generate approximately $27.5m of gross revenue for the minimum scheduled period of the charters.

The m/v Nirefs is a 75,311 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier built in 2001 and the m/v Erato is a 74,444 dwt Panamax dry bulk carrier built in 2004.