DIANA Containerships, the Nasdaq-listed ship owner, has taken delivery of the 4,750-TEU panamax vessel APL Sardonyx.

The 1995-built ship has been chartered to APL (Bermuda) Ltd, or to a guaranteed nominee, or to another entity of Singapore's NOL Group with similar or better net worth than APL (Bermuda), for a minimum 24 months plus or minus 45 days at a daily rate of US$24,750, said a Diana statement.

The charterer has the option to employ the vessel for a further 12 months plus or minus 45 days at a daily rate of $24,750 starting 24 months after delivery of the vessel to the charterer. After that, the charterer has the option to employ the vessel for a further 12 months plus or minus 45 days, at a daily rate of $28,000 starting 36 months after delivery of the vessel to the charterer.

The employment of the vessel is anticipated to generate approximately $16.7 million of revenues for the minimum agreed period of the charter, said the release.

Separately, Diana Containerships also announced it has completed the drawdown of an additional $8.4 million under the previously announced revolving credit facility of up to $100 million with The Royal Bank of Scotland, which may be increased to $150 million subject to further syndication. With the drawdown announced today, Diana Containerships has completed the drawdown of a total of $83.9 million under the above mentioned revolving credit facility.