NewLead Holdings Ltd. Withdraws Proposed Private Offering
of $120 Million Senior Secured Bonds Due 2016

PIRAEUS, Greece, May 6, 2011 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/

NewLead Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: NEWL) ("NewLead" or the "Company"), an international, vertically integrated mixed fleet shipping company, today announced the withdrawal, due to market conditions, of the private offering in the Norwegian bond market of $120 million in senior secured bonds contemplated by NewLead's press release of April 12, 2011.

About NewLead Holdings Ltd.
NewLead Holdings Ltd. is an international, vertically integrated shipping company that owns and manages product tankers and dry bulk vessels. NewLead currently controls 22 vessels, including six double-hull product tankers and 16 dry bulk vessels of which four are newbuildings. NewLead's common shares are traded under the symbol "NEWL" on the NASDAQ Global Select Market. To learn more about NewLead Holdings Ltd., please visit the new website at www.newleadholdings.com.

Source: NewLead Holdings Ltd. press release