Diana Shipping Inc. Announces the Acquisition of a Kamsarmax Dry Bulk Vessel and a New-Building Capesize Dry Bulk Vessel

ATHENS, Greece, April 28, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Diana Shipping Inc. (NYSE: DSX), (the "Company"), a global shipping company specializing in the ownership of dry bulk vessels, today announced that on April 27, 2015 it signed, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, a Memorandum of Agreement to acquire from an unaffiliated third party the m/v Torm Island, a 2010 built Kamsarmax dry bulk vessel of 82,194 dwt, for a purchase price of US$18.05 million. The vessel (to be renamed "Medusa") is expected to be delivered to the buyer during the second quarter of 2015.

The Company also announced that it signed, through a separate wholly-owned subsidiary, an agreement to acquire from an different unaffiliated third party a new-building Capesize dry bulk vessel of approximately 180,000 dwt, being built by Shanghai Waigaoqiao Shipbuilding Co., Ltd., for a purchase price of US$43.0 million. The vessel, "Hull No. H1364" (to be renamed "New Oreleans"), is expected to be delivered to the buyer during August 2015.

The second transaction is subject to final negotiation and execution of a novation agreement among the builders, the buyer and the seller.

Excluding the newly acquired vessels, as well as two new-building Newcastlemax dry bulk vessels and one new-building Kamsarmax dry bulk vessel expected to be delivered to the Company during the second quarter of 2016, Diana Shipping Inc.'s fleet currently consists of 40 dry bulk vessels (2 Newcastlemax, 12 Capesize, 3 Post-Panamax, 3 Kamsarmax and 20 Panamax). As of today, the combined carrying capacity of the Company's fleet, excluding the five vessels not yet delivered, is approximately 4.6 million dwt with a weighted average age of 7.1 years. A table describing the current Diana Shipping Inc. fleet can be found on the Company's website, www.dianashippinginc.com. Information contained on the Company's website does not constitute a part of this press release.

About the Company

Diana Shipping Inc. is a leading global provider of shipping transportation services through its ownership of dry bulk vessels. The Company's vessels are employed primarily on medium to long-term time charters and transport a range of dry bulk cargoes, including such commodities as iron ore, coal, grain and other materials along worldwide shipping routes.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. The words "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. Although we believe that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter rates and vessel values, changes in demand for dry bulk shipping capacity, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents or political events, vessel breakdowns and instances of off-hires and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.

CONTACT: Corporate Contact:
         Ioannis Zafirakis
         Director, Chief Operating Officer and Secretary
         Telephone: + 30-210-9470-100
         Email: [email protected]

         Investor and Media Relations:
         Edward Nebb
         Comm-Counsellors, LLC
         Telephone: + 1-203-972-8350
         Email: [email protected]

Source: Diana Shipping Inc.

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