Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. Announces Proposed Offering of $250 Million Senior Notes due 2019

ATHENS, GREECE--January 14, 2011 - Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. (“Excel” or the “Company”) (NYSE:EXM) announced today its intention to issue, subject to market and other conditions, approximately $250 million aggregate principal amount of Senior Notes due 2019 to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and to persons outside the United States under Regulation S.

Excel plans to use the net proceeds from the note offering to repay approximately $240 million of indebtedness outstanding under its secured revolving credit facility and the remaining portion for general corporate purposes.

This press release does not constitute an offer to sell or the solicitation of an offer to buy any securities and shall not constitute an offer, solicitation or sale in any jurisdiction in which such an offering, solicitation or sale would be unlawful. The offering will be made only to qualified institutional buyers in accordance with Rule 144A under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the "Securities Act") and non-U.S. persons in accordance with Regulation S promulgated under the Securities Act. The securities to be offered have not been registered under the Securities Act, or any state securities laws, and unless so registered, may not be offered or sold except pursuant to an effective registration statement or an exemption from, or in a transaction not subject to, the registration requirements of the Securities Act and applicable state securities laws. This press release is being issued pursuant to and in accordance with Rule 135c under the Securities Act.

Excel Maritime press release