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Marine Money Announces Winners of 2009 Deal of the Year Awards

STAMFORD, Conn., March 11 /PRNewswire/ -- For the international shipping industry, 2009 was a year of extraordinary challenge and transformative change. It was a year that saw the ascendancy of China not only as a powerhouse of trade, but also as a shipbuilding, owning and finance force. As the world faced the worst recession since the 1930s, the world of ship finance changed dramatically.

It was a year that challenged owners, lenders, investment bankers and structured finance professionals as none had since the start of Marine Money's Annual Awards. Dominant forms of finance shifted and the talents of owners and financiers met the new seascape with creativity and sharpened pencils.

This week Marine Money International is proud to announce the winners of its coveted Deal of the Year Awards for 2009.

MARINE MONEY DEAL OF THE YEAR AWARDS – 2009

2009 Deal of the Year Awards

CATEGORY	TRANSACTION	WINNER
Dealmaker of the Year		ICBC - Industrial and Commercial Bank of China
Bank Debt	Korea Gas Corporation	Australia and New Zealand Banking Group, BNP Paribas, Calyon, Credit Industriel et Commercial, Natixis, NIBC Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corporation, Korea Development Bank, Bank of Nova Scotia, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ and WestLB, Skandinaviska Enskilda Banken AB (Publ), Societe Generale, Standard Chartered Bank, Chinatrust Commercial Bank, Ltd., Intesa Sanpaolo S.P.A., Mizuho Corporate Bank, Ltd., Fortis Bank (Nederland) N.V., and Deutsche Bank AG.
Public Debt
Norway	Bonheur ASA	DnB NOR
Asia	STX Pan Ocean Co.	Goldman Sachs
U.S.	General Maritime	J.P. Morgan, Goldman Sachs, Citi, Credit Suisse, DnB Nor, Jefferies, RBS and UBS
Restructuring	ZIM Integrated Shipping	Goldman Sachs and BNP Paribas
	CSAV	HSH Corporate Finance and BNP Paribas
Structured Finance	Manditorily Convertible Preferred Stock	Navios Maritime Holdings
M&A	Grandunion's acquisition of Aries Maritime	S. Goldman Advisors.
Equity Linked	DryShips Inc.	Deutsche Bank, Nordea and DVB
IPO	None
Follow-on	Leading role in Overnight follow-ons	Citi
Private Equity	Seaspan	Washington Family and Tiger Group Investments
Export Credit	Seadrill	Nordea, Fokus, DnB Nor, BNP Paribas, Calyon, ING, Natixis, Credit Industriel et Commercial, NIBC, GIEK and Eksportfinans.
Project Finance	Etesco VIII Drillship	ING, Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Mizuho, SMBC Standard Chartered and Societe Generale and Arctic Securities.
	Odebrecht SA	BNP Paribas, Societe Generale, Banco Santander
Leasing	Eitzen Chemical - Parchem II	Pareto and Northern Shipping Funds
Innovation	ATM	Bank of America Merrill Lynch
Contribution to Ship Finance		The Sell Side Analysts
Editor's Choice Awards		Bank of America Merrill Lynch, Calyon, Nordea, SEB Enskilda, Danske Bank, HSBC, ING and J.P. Morgan for A.P. Moller-Maersk A/S
		Morgan Stanley, DnB NOR and UBS for Diana Shipping and Nordic American Tankers.
		Contango Oil Trade and Tanker Storage
		Evercore Partners as New Entrant

In commenting on the awards, George Weltman, Publisher of Marine Money, said, "In a year of unprecedented change, it is our pleasure to reward creativity, hard work and value creation. This year tested the skills of the entire industry. Winners should feel proud of their achievements and the success they have delivered to their clients. The world changed and our winners stood up and met the challenge."

James R. Lawrence, Chairman of Marine Money, commented, "Day in and day out we are in touch with the individuals who made these deals possible. It is our honor to congratulate them on their achievements. Despite shambles in the credit and financial markets, we've seen the capital markets and shipping banks, particularly Asian based institutions, continue to support the world's leading marine transportation companies. The winners of this year's Awards epitomize the talents and energy serving the international shipping industry."

Nora Huvane, Director of Marine Money Asia, noted, "In the history of our global awards, this is the first time Asian-based transactions and players have been represented to an extent befitting Asia's role in the global shipping industry. We believe this is a reflection not only of the shift eastward of ship finance's center of mass, but also highly commendable strides by many of the Asian financial institutions towards greater transparency as well as greater cooperation between Eastern and Western organizations."

The awards will be presented on June 24, 2010 during Marine Money Week at the Pierre Hotel in New York.

About Marine Money International:

Marine Money International, celebrating its 24th anniversary, is the publisher of Marine Money, the ship finance publication of record and is the organizer of leading industry forums in major shipping markets around the world.