Diana Shipping has secured a new charter for its ultramax DSI Polaris with Dai An Ocean Shipping at $18,000 a day, extending a series of higher-rate fixtures across the owner’s dry bulk fleet. Splash 247 reported that the agreement lifts the vessel’s headline earnings by $5,750 a day from its existing employment, an increase of just under 47%.
The 60,404 dwt vessel, built in 2018, is scheduled to begin the new charter on September 25, 2026. Its daily hire is subject to a 5% commission, with employment continuing until at least May 1, 2028. The charter also allows the period to extend to June 30, 2028. According to the report, Diana expects gross revenue of about $10.37m over the minimum contracted period.
DSI Polaris is currently chartered to Cargill Ocean Transportation at $12,250 a day, subject to a 4.75% commission. That agreement began in July 2025 and had been due to finish by September 21, 2026. The near-47% increase compares the two headline daily rates, before their respective commission deductions; the incoming charter carries a slightly higher commission than the Cargill arrangement.
Splash 247 placed the fixture alongside two other recent rate improvements for the fleet led by Semiramis Paliou. Earlier in September, the 81,513 dwt kamsarmax Astarte began employment with Aquavita at $17,000 a day, a 36% rise from its previous charter. The panamax Leto also recently continued with Cargill at $18,000 a day, representing a 41% increase. DSI Polaris therefore joins both vessels in securing a higher headline rate.
Diana’s operating fleet currently comprises 36 bulk carriers with combined capacity of roughly 4.1m dwt, according to Splash 247. The owner also has two methanol dual-fuel kamsarmax vessels on order, with deliveries scheduled for the second half of 2027 and the first half of 2028.