SFL – Payment of dividend

Press release from Ship Finance International Limited, April 17, 2009
 
Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE:SFL) (“Ship Finance” or “the Company”) refers to the announcement of the fourth quarter 2008 dividend payable in cash or, at the shareholders request, in newly issued common shares on or about April 17, 2009.
 
Shareholders beneficially owning approximately 55% of our outstanding shares have elected to receive 0.0528 common shares for each share held, and approximately 2.1 million new common shares will be issued as a result of such elections. The remaining shareholders will receive a cash dividend payment of $0.30 per share.
 
Following this dividend payment, the total number of the Company’s outstanding common shares will be approximately 74.8 million.
 
Any questions relating to the dividend payment should be directed to your broker, bank, or other nominee, or alternatively to BNY Mellon, our transfer agent:
 
U.S. Toll Free: 1-800-301-3489
International: +1 201 680 6578
 
 
 
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 68 vessels, including 33 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), two chemical tankers, eight oil/bulk/ore vessels, one dry-bulk carrier, 13 container vessels, six offshore supply vessels, two jack-up drilling rigs and three ultra-deepwater drilling units. 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 world wide 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.