Diana Shipping has fixed one of its panamax bulkers for 10 to 12 months at a rate far below the forward curve for the rest of this year, after the futures market gained in strength on Thursday and Friday.

The Semiramis Paliou-led bulker owner has chartered its 76,225-dwt Melia (built 2005) to Rotterdam-based Viterra Chartering, which was known as Glencore Agriculture Chartering until October last year.