Diana Shipping and EuroDry both locked in charter deals lasting around a year as period rates for larger bulkers continued a steady march upward.

New York-listed Diana chartered two vessels to US commodities giant Cargill in four days that showed rising term rates for capesizes and kamsarmaxes.

In the latest transaction, the Greek shipowner said Thursday that Cargill’s Swiss chartering arm re-upped its contract for the 179,000-dwt Santa Barbara (built 2015) at $29,500 per day, minus a 4.75%