NewLead Holdings Ltd. Announces Long-Term Time Charter
for the Panamax Newlead Victoria

Piraeus, Greece, May 2, 2013

NewLead Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: NEWL) ("NewLead" or "the Company") today announced that the Company entered into a five-year time charter contract with 60% profit sharing for its 2002-built panamax vessel, the Newlead Victoria.

The five-year time charter of the Newlead Victoria is expected to commence in June 2013. The escalating net daily charter-out rate will be:

• $11,700 until December 29, 2014
• $12,723.75 until December 29, 2015
• $12,918.75 until December 29, 2017
• $13,016.25 until June 29, 2018



NewLead will have a profit-sharing interest equal to 60% for each charter year based on the vessel's open books.

Mr. Michael Zolotas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NewLead, stated, "We are pleased to announce that we have entered into a favourable charter contract for one of our vessels securing an increasing charter-out rate for five years while providing the opportunity to capture market upside with profit sharing. This agreement demonstrates our ability to secure competitive rates and allows for earnings expansion when the market improves."

About NewLead Holdings Ltd.
NewLead Holdings Ltd. is an international, vertically integrated shipping and commodity company that manages product tankers and dry bulk vessels. NewLead currently controls four vessels, two tankers and two dry bulk vessels. 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