SFL – Filing of Annual Report on Form 20-F

Press release from Ship Finance International Limited April 30, 2012

Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE: SFL) announces that the Company has filed its annual report on Form 20-F for the year ended December 31, 2011.

The annual report can be downloaded from the Company’s website at www.shipfinance.org. Shareholders can also request a hard copy of our complete audited financial statements free of charge upon request by writing us at:

Ship Finance International Limited
PO Box HM 1593, Par-la-Ville Place
14 Par-la-Ville Road
Hamilton HM 08 Bermuda

or send an e-mail to: ir@shipfinance.no

April 30, 2012

The Board of Directors
Ship Finance International Limited
Hamilton, Bermuda

 Questions should be directed to:

Investor and Analyst Contacts:
Harald Gurvin, Chief Financial Officer, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114009 / +47 97520363

Magnus T. Valeberg, Senior Vice President, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114012 / +47 93440960

Media Contact:
Ole B. Hjertaker, Chief Executive Officer, Ship Finance Management AS
+47 23114011 / +47 90141243

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 69 vessels, including 25 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), two chemical tankers, five oil/bulk/ore vessels, 11 drybulk carriers including two newbuildings, 15 container vessels including four newbuildings, six offshore supply vessels, one jack-up drilling rig, one ultra-deepwater drillship and two ultra-deepwater semi-submersible drilling rigs. 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.

SFL – 2011 Annual Report