NewLead Holdings Ltd. Announces 1-for-5 Reverse Split
of Common Shares

PIRAEUS, Greece, March 2, 2012

NewLead Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: NEWL) ("NewLead" or the "Company") today announced that a 1-for-5 reverse stock split of its common shares has been approved by the Company's Board of Directors and by written consent of a majority of shareholders, effective upon the opening of the markets on March 19, 2012.

The reverse split will consolidate every five common shares into one common share, par value of $0.01 per share. The number of authorized common shares and preferred shares of NewLead will not be affected by the reverse split. In respect to the underlying common shares associated with any derivative securities, such as warrants, options and convertible notes, the conversion and exercise prices and number of common shares issued will be adjusted in accordance to the 1:5 ratio. As a result of the reverse stock split, the number of common shares of the Company's common shares outstanding will be reduced from 17,399,257 to approximately 3,479,852 shares, subject to rounding up of all fractional shares to the nearest whole share.

It is anticipated that the transaction will establish a higher market price for the Company's common shares and reduce per share transaction fees as well as certain administrative costs.

NewLead has retained its transfer agent, Computershare, to act as exchange agent for the reverse stock split. After the reverse split takes effect, shareholders will receive information from Computershare regarding the process for exchanging their common shares. Computershare will notify shareholders of record that hold physical certificates as of the effective time to transmit outstanding share certificates, and, unless requested, will subsequently issue new book entry statements of holding representing one post-split common share for every five common shares held of record as of the effective time. Shareholders that currently hold common shares in book entry form will receive updated statements of holding reflecting the reverse split and need not take any action.

NewLead's common shares will begin trading on a split adjusted basis when the market opens on March 19, 2012. On that date and for 20 trading days thereafter the Company's common shares will trade under the ticker symbol "NEWLD" to provide notice of the reverse stock split. After this period, the symbol will revert to "NEWL".

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 11 vessels, of which two are double-hull product tankers and 9 are dry bulk vessels including four newbuildings and one vessel currently under construction that is scheduled to be delivered in the third quarter of 2012. 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