NewLead Holdings Ltd. Completes $44.8 Million Balance Sheet Program

Piraeus, Greece, June 18, 2014 / PRNewswire

NewLead Holdings Ltd. (NASDAQ: NEWL) ("NewLead" or the "Company") today announced that the Company completed the $44.8 million balance sheet program ("program") with Magna Group Partners Limited ("MGP") and Hanover Holdings I, LLC ("Hanover").

Through this program NewLead enhanced its balance sheet by $44.8 million by settling past-due indebtedness. The program allowed NewLead to complete the acquisition of one newbuilding eco-type 35,000 dwt dry bulk Handysize vessel, expected to be delivered to NewLead's fleet between July and August 2014, a coal wash plant in Kentucky, USA, and access to develop the Five Mile mine, that includes a CSX rail load facility, the Andy Rail Terminal, in Kentucky, USA, as well as clearing the way to acquire the title to such mine. It is expected that by the end of 2014, title to the Five Mile mine will be transferred to NewLead.

Mr. Michael Zolotas, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of NewLead, stated: "We are delighted to have completed this program in less than six months while contributing accretive debt-free assets to the Company. This program allowed us to develop a vertically integrated shipping and commodity company. NewLead is ready to move forward with an enhanced balance sheet and accretive assets."

About NewLead Holdings Ltd.
NewLead Holdings Ltd. is an international, vertically integrated shipping, logistics and commodity company. NewLead owns three dry bulk vessels, one Handysize vessel and two Panamax vessels and manages three third party tanker vessels, two small bitumen tanker vessels and one Handysize MR product tanker. The Company took delivery of one of the three modern eco-type dry bulk Handysize vessels, the Newlead Albion on May 19, 2014 and expects to take delivery of the other two, one of which is newbuilding, between July and August 2014. The Company has also signed a term sheet for 75% financing to acquire two dry bulk Panamax vessels. Upon completion of the above acquisitions and together with the vessels under management. NewLead is expected to have a fleet of ten vessels, seven owned and three vessels under management. Furthermore, the Company owns a wash plant and a mine in Kentucky, USA and has been granted access to develop and mine another mine, that includes a CSX rail load facility, the Andy Rail Terminal, in Kentucky, USA. 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.

NewLead Holdings Ltd. press release