SFL - Successful placement of Senior Unsecured Bond

Press release from Ship Finance International Limited, March 5, 2014

Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE:SFL) ("Ship Finance" or the "Company") announces that it has successfully placed a five-year senior unsecured bond in the Norwegian credit market with a quarterly coupon of NIBOR + 4.10 % p.a. The principal amount of the notes is NOK 900 million, which is equivalent to approximately USD 150 million. Drawdown will be in March 2014 and the Company intends to swap all payments to USD at a fixed interest rate. The bond will be applied for listing on the Oslo Stock Exchange.

The proceeds from the bond issue will be used to refinance existing debt and for general corporate purposes.

The Board of Directors
Ship Finance International Limited
Hamilton, Bermuda

Questions could be directed to:

Ole B. Hjertaker, Chief Executive Officer, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114011

About Ship Finance

Ship Finance is a major ship owning company listed on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: SFL). Including newbuildings, the Company has a fleet of 71 vessels, including 22 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), two chemical tankers, 12 drybulk carriers, 22 container vessels (including six newbuildings), two car carriers, six offshore supply vessels, two jack-up drilling rigs, two ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs and one ultra-deepwater drillship. The fleet is one of the largest in the world and most of the vessels are employed on long-term charters. More information can be found on the Company's website: www.shipfinance.org

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward Looking Statements

This press release may contain forward looking statements. These statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including Ship Finance management's examination of historical operating trends. Although Ship Finance believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond its control, Ship Finance cannot give assurance that it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or intentions.

Important factors that, in the Company's view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in this presentation include the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the tanker market as a result of changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and worldwide oil consumption and storage, changes in the Company's operating expenses including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, 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, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission.

This announcement is distributed by Nasdaq OMX Corporate Solutions on behalf of NASDAQ OMX Corporate Solutions clients.
The issuer of this announcement warrants that they are solely responsible for the content, accuracy and originality of the information contained therein.
Source: Ship Finance International Limited via Globenewswire
HUG#1766549