HAMILTON, BERMUDA -- (Marketwire) -- 09/04/12 -- Ship Finance International Limited (NYSE: SFL) ("Ship Finance" or the "Company") announces that its 2012 Annual General Meeting will be held on September 21, 2012. A copy of the Notice of Annual General Meeting and associated information including the Company's Annual Report on Form 20-F can be found on our website and in the attachments below.

September 4, 2012

The Board of Directors

Ship Finance International Limited

Hamilton, Bermuda

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 67 vessels, including 25 crude oil tankers (VLCC and Suezmax), two chemical tankers, three oil/bulk/ore vessels, 12 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 - Notice of Annual General Meeting: http://hugin.info/134876/R/1638712/527275.pdf

SFL - 2011 Annual Report on Form 20-F: http://hugin.info/134876/R/1638712/527276.pdf

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Source: Ship Finance International Limited via Thomson Reuters ONE [HUG#1638712]