TOP SHIPS INC. ANNOUNCES EXPIRATION OF EXCLUSIVITY AGREEMENT

ATHENS, GREECE, October 23, 2008. TOP Ships Inc. (NasdaqGS:TOPS) (the “Company”) today announced the expiration of the exclusivity agreement entered into on September 25, 2008, as subsequently amended, between the Company and an affiliate of George Economou. Prior to the expiration of the agreement on October 22, 2008, George Economou’s affiliated entity offered to acquire each of the Company’s issued and outstanding common share for a purchase price of $3.00 per share, in cash. After consideration of numerous factors, including the recent volatility in global markets and decline in the Company’s share price on the Nasdaq Stock Market, the Company’s Board of Directors has determined that this offer is not in the best interests of shareholders.

About TOP Ships Inc.

TOP Ships Inc., formerly known as TOP Tankers Inc., is an international provider of worldwide seaborne crude oil and petroleum products and drybulk transportation services. The Company operates a combined tanker and drybulk fleet as follows:

- A fleet of seven double-hull handymax tankers, with a total carrying capacity of approximately 0.3 million dwt, of which 58% are sister ships. All of the Company's handymaxes are on time charter contracts with an average term of two years with all of the time charters including profit sharing agreements above their base rates.

- Six newbuilding product tankers, which are expected to be delivered in the first half of 2009. All the expected newbuildings have fixed rate bareboat employment agreements for periods between seven and ten years.

- A fleet of five drybulk vessels with a total carrying capacity of approximately 0.3 million dwt, of which 70% are sister ships. All of the Company's drybulk vessels have fixed rate employment contracts for an average period of 30 months.

Top Ships Press Release