- Eimskip sells majority of shares in Air Atlanta


-Value of shares in Air Atlanta EUR 44 million
-Reduction of debts, equity ratio increases from 29% to 32%

Eimskip has reached an agreement for the sale of the majority of its shares in
the airline Air Atlanta. The total value of shares in the company is
approximately EUR 44 million, or approximately ISK 3.9 billion. Concurrently,
Air Atlanta has been divided into two companies: an aircraft operating company
under the name of Air Atlanta and an aircraft leasing company under the name of
Northern Lights Leasing (NLL), which has acquired the Air Atlanta fleet of
aircraft, consisting of 13 widebody jet aircraft. Eimskip has sold its entire
shareholding in Air Atlanta and has, moreover, sold 51% of its shareholding in
the holding company NLL. 

A company owned by the management of Air Atlanta, under the leadership of
Hannes Hilmarsson, CEO, and Geir Valur Ágústsson, VP of Finance, has purchased
all the shares in the aircraft operating company Air Atlanta. 

Artic Partners has purchased a 51% shareholding in Northern Lights Leasing.
Arctic Partners also owns Avion Aircraft Trading. Arctic Partners is owned by
Hafthór Hafsteinsson and Icelandic and overseas investors. 

On 25 May 2007, the Board of Directors of HF Eimskipafélags Íslands announced
its intention to sell Air Atlanta. The Board planned to complete the sales
process before the end of the current operating year. These plans have now been
successfully brought to fruition. After the sale, Eimskip has fully withdrawn
from airline operation. The management plans to focus on the core activities of
the company, namely freight transportation and the operation of refrigerator
and freezer storage. Eimskip has grown extremely rapidly and has increased its
scope of activities by a factor of ten over the past three years. The company
currently has a 13% market share on a global level in this field. 

As a result of the sale, the company's debts will decrease by EUR 210 million.
Correspondingly, the company's equity ratio will increase from 29% to 32%. All
figures are based on Eimskip's balance sheet from 31 July 2007, the most recent
interim report issued by the company. The interim statement shows that the
total assets of Eimskip amount to EUR 1,954 million, as compared to EUR 1,735
million in the previous interim statement. The sale of Air Atlanta will have an
insignificant effect on the operation of Eimskip. 

Baldur Gudnason, President and CEO of Eimskip:
Eimskip's policy has been to dispose of its aviation related assets. We
presented this strategy at the company's presentation for shareholders and
market participants on 20 June this summer, and now we see the completion of
this work. This is quite a substantial milestone. We have managed to
considerably reduce the debts of the company and, as a result, will be able to
concentrate even further on the core activities of the company. 
This transaction means that the company Air Atlanta is divided into two
companies, one responsible for the fleet of aircraft and the other responsible
for the operation of the aircraft. Eimskip will continue to have a 49%
shareholding in the company owning the aircraft, although we plan to withdraw
from that company in the future. 

Hafthór Hafsteinsson, principal owner of Arctic Partners: 
“The aircraft trading and leasing market is at a historical peak, and as a
result there are plenty of opportunities to profitably lease and sell the
aircraft that will not be used in Atlanta projects following the down-sizing of
the company. Arctic Partners is a strong backer, with a 51% shareholding in
Northern Lights Leasing, together with Eimskip's 49% shareholding. The company
has acquired considerable experience and gained an excellent reputation on the
aircraft trading market through its ownership of Avion Aircraft Trading, a
company that has purchased and sold 35 widebody jet aircraft at healthy profit
over the past two years. These two companies, Northern Lights Leasing and Avion
Aircraft Trading, will co-operate closely and become very strong companies on
the aircraft trading market”. 

Hannes Hilmarsson, CEO of Air Atlanta:
“Air Atlanta is a well-known international airline that has gone through
substantial and expensive restructuring over the past few years. A considerable
challenge awaits us in turning the operation around. It is our ambition to
develop a robust and profitable airline on the well-established foundations on
which the company is based”. 


Further information: Baldur Gudnason, President and CEO of Eimskip, phone no.
525 7202 
Hafthór Hafsteinsson, principal owner of Arctic Partners, phone no. 895 7707 
Hannes Hilmarsson, CEO of Air Atlanta, phone no. 895 3364 

About Air Atlanta 
Air Atlanta is the largest ACMI Airline that leases both cargo and passenger
aircraft in the world. The company operates a total of 20 aircraft that are
leased for longer or shorter periods to other airlines. 

About Eimskip
Eimskip offers its customers comprehensive transportation solutions by sea, air
and land, with particular emphasis on temperature-controlled transportation and
storage. Eimskip operates in approximately 280 locations in over 30 countries.
The company operates 50 vessels, 25 aircraft, 2,000 trucks and trailers and
approximately 180 cold stores. Employees number approximately 14,500.
GlobeNewswire