Star Bulk Acquires Supramax Vessel and Expands Its Fleet to Twelve Vessels Surpassing the 1 Million DWT Mark


ATHENS, GREECE--(Marketwire - May 22, 2008) - Star Bulk Carriers Corp. (NASDAQ: SBLK) announced today that it has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire a Supramax bulk carrier of approx. 52,200 dwt, built in 2005, for approx. $68.8 million. The vessel, to be renamed the Star Cosmo, will be financed through a combination of company cash and bank debt.

The Star Cosmo is scheduled to be delivered to Star Bulk within June/July 2008. The vessel comes with a staggered 3-year charter to Korea Line that commenced on March 17, 2008, at a gross daily rate of $55,900, $41,900 and $27,900 for the first, second and third year, respectively.

Following this acquisition, Star Bulk's fleet will increase to twelve vessels of approximately 1,033,850 dwt. With the addition of the Star Cosmo the contracted fleet operating days under time charter in 2008, 2009 and 2010 will be 100%, 81% and 56%, respectively.

Akis Tsirigakis, President and CEO of Star Bulk Carriers, commented: "We are pleased to announce the acquisition of the Star Cosmo which increases our fleet capacity to over 1,000,000 dwt. With the addition of the Star Cosmo, after having recently agreed to sell the Star Iota we continue to improve our fleet's age profile and earnings capability. In addition, the three year charter is in line with our strategy of securing visible and stable cash flows which sustain our dividend policy and enhance our growth prospects."

Fleet Table
The following table sets forth summary information regarding Star Bulk's
fleet.

                                     Year      Time Charter    Time Charter
Vessel Name         Type     DWT     Built       Expiry(1)        Rate (2)
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Capesize Fleet
Star Alpha        Capesize   175,075  1992 Jul 5  - Oct 5, 2009 $    47,500
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Star Beta         Capesize   174,691  1993 Feb 12 - May 2, 2010 $   106,500
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
                                           Mar 1 - Mar 31, 2009 $   100,000
                                                   Mar 2010     $    69,000
Star Sigma        Capesize   184,400  1991         Mar 2011     $    63,000
                                               Mar - Aug 2012   $    57,000
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Supramax Fleet
                                           Jan 4 - Feb 14, 2009 $    28,500
                                                   Feb 2010     $    45,000
Star Gamma        Supramax    53,098  2002         Feb 2011     $    38,000
                                              Jan - Mar 2012    $    31,000
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Star Delta        Supramax    52,434  2000  Feb 7 - May 7, 2009 $    25,800
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
                                               Dec 15,'08 -
                                                Mar 15,'09      $    25,550
Star Epsilon      Supramax    52,402  2001     Feb 2014 -
                                                May 2014        $    32,400
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
                                                 May 2008       $    65,000
Star Zeta         Supramax    52,994  2003  Apr 2011 - Jul 2011 $    42,500
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Star Theta        Supramax    52,425  2003 April 2-Jun 16, 2009 $    32,500
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Star Kappa        Supramax    52,055  2001  Aug 24-Nov 23, 2010 $    47,800
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Star Omicron      Supramax    53,489  2005       Feb - May 2011 $    43,000
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Bought Vessels - To be Delivered to Star Bulk
                                              Jun - Jul 2008(3)           -
                                                 Mar 2009       $    55,900
Star Cosmo        Supramax    52,200  2005       Mar 2010       $    41,900
                                                 Mar 2011       $    27,900
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Sold Vessels - To be Delivered to Buyers
                                              Jun - Jul 2008(3)           -
Star Iota          Panamax    78,585  1983 Mar 7 - Apr 17, 2009 $    18,000
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------
Grand Total             12 1,033,850
                  -------- --------- ----- -------------------- -----------

(1) Range represents the earliest and latest expiry dates allowed by the
    charter party. Charterers have the right to add off-hire days, if any,
    which occurred during the charter period.
(2) Represents the gross daily rate
(3) Indicates the expected delivery date of the vessel from the seller to
    the buyer

About Star Bulk

Star Bulk is a global shipping company providing worldwide seaborne transportation solutions in the dry bulk sector. Star Bulk's vessels transport major bulks, which include iron ore, coal and grain and minor bulks such as bauxite, fertilizers and steel products. Star Bulk was incorporated in the Marshall Islands on December 13, 2006 and is headquartered in Athens, Greece. Its common stock and warrants trade on the NASDAQ Global Market under the symbols "SBLK" and "SBLKW" respectively. Currently, Star Bulk has an operating fleet of eleven dry bulk carriers, plus definitive agreements to acquire one Supramax dry bulk carrier and sell its Panamax dry bulk carrier. The total fleet of twelve vessels consists of three Capesize, one Panamax and eight Supramax dry bulk vessels with an average age of approximately 9.7 years and a combined cargo carrying capacity of approximately 1,033,850 deadweight tons.

Forward-Looking Statements

The information in this press release may contain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding: (1) the delivery and operation of assets of Star Bulk; (2) Star Bulk's future operating or financial results; (3) future, pending or recent acquisitions, business strategy, areas of possible expansion, and expected capital spending or operating expenses; (4) drybulk market trends, including charter rates and factors affecting vessel supply and demand; and (5) other statements identified by words such as "anticipate," "believe," "plan," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "will," "should," "may," or words of similar meaning.

Such forward-looking statements are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, Star Bulk's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in their records and other data available from third parties. Although Star Bulk believes that these assumptions were reasonable when made, because these assumptions are inherently subject to significant uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and are beyond their control, Star Bulk cannot assure you that Star Bulk will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the failure of a seller to deliver one or more vessels, the strength of world economies and currencies, general market conditions, including changes in charterhire rates and vessel values, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers to scheduled and unscheduled drydocking, changes in Star Bulk's operating expenses, including bunker prices, dry-docking and insurance costs, or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists. Additional factors that could cause Star Bulk's results to differ materially from those described in the forward-looking statements can be found in Star Bulk's Registration Statement on Form F-1/F-4 and reports on Form 6-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and available at the SEC's Internet site (http://www.sec.gov). The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and Star Bulk disclaims any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

Contact Information: Contacts: Company: George Syllantavos Chief Financial Officer Star Bulk Carriers Corp. Aethrion Center, Suite B-34 40 Ag. Konstantinou Maroussi 15124 Athens, Greece E-mail: ir@starbulk.com www.starbulk.com Investor Relations / Financial Media: Nicolas Bornozis President Capital Link, Inc. 230 Park Avenue, Suite 1536 New York, NY 10169 Tel. (212) 661-7566 E-mail: nbornozis@capitallink.com www.capitallink.com