Ultrapetrol (Bahamas) Closes Investment Deal with Southern Cross Group

Ultrapetrol (Bahamas) Limited ULTR, an industrial transportation company serving marine transportation needs in three markets (River Business, Offshore Supply Business and Ocean Business), announced today the closing of its previously announced investment agreement with Sparrow Capital Investments, Ltd ("Sparrow"), a subsidiary of Southern Cross Latin America Private Equity Funds III and IV ("Southern Cross"). Ultrapetrol sold 110,000,000 shares of newly issued common stock to Sparrow at a purchase price of $2.00 per share. The Company received proceeds of $220 million from the transaction. Prior to closing of the transaction, Sparrow waived the condition to closing that required the Company to obtain a waiver of certain repurchase rights by holders of the Company's Convertible Senior Notes due 2017 (the "Convertible Notes"). Net proceeds from the investment will strengthen the Company's balance sheet and be used for general corporate purposes, including financing growth opportunities in Ultrapetrol's Offshore Business Unit in Brazil. As previously announced, the transaction was approved by a special committee of Ultrapetrol´s Board of Directors comprising two disinterested directors that received a fairness opinion, in accordance with the Company´s Articles and Memorandum of Association.