Golden Ocean Group Limited (NASDAQ and OSE: GOGL) ("Golden Ocean" or the "Company") today announced that it has acquired a 15% ownership interest in Singapore Marine Pte Ltd. ("Singapore Marine"), a dry bulk freight operator sponsored by Peter Weernink, the former Chief Executive Officer of Swiss Marine SA. Singapore Marine, which has offices in Singapore, Geneva and Verbier, will initially focus on the Post Panamax to Capesize vessel segments and seek to generate returns in all market conditions by employing an asset-light business model. Thomas Semino, Chief Commercial Officer of Golden Ocean, will be appointed as a Director of Singapore Marine.

Mr. Semino commented: "While Singapore Marine will operate independently from Golden Ocean and our participation in the company is primarily financial, we expect to derive additional value through this relationship. Golden Ocean's significant commercial capabilities and the depth of its market intelligence will be further enhanced by this new relationship."

Singapore Marine has raised $105 million in available capital where Golden Ocean has provided $10 million in equity and $10 million in available subordinated shareholder loan. Mr. Weernink, who has a long track record of successfully growing dry bulk freight operations businesses, is the largest shareholder in the company.

The Board of Directors
Golden Ocean Group Limited

Contact Persons:
Birgitte Ringstad Vartdal: CEO, Golden Ocean Management AS
+47 22 01 73 53

Thomas Semino: CCO, Golden Ocean Shipping Co Pte. Ltd.
+65 8499 4134

Forward Looking Statements
Matters discussed in this report may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements, which include statements concerning plans, objectives, goals, strategies, future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts. The Company desires to take advantage of the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and is including this cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation. Words such as "believe," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project," "plan," "potential," "may," "will," "should," "expect," "pending" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this report are based upon various assumptions. Although we believe 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 our control, we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections. The information set forth herein speaks only as of the date hereof, and we disclaim any intention or obligation to update any forward-looking statements as a result of developments occurring after the date of this communication.

In addition to these important factors and matters discussed elsewhere herein, important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include the strength of world economies, fluctuations in currencies and interest rates, general market conditions, including fluctuations in charter hire rates and vessel values, changes in demand in the dry bulk market, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, the market for our vessels, availability of financing and refinancing, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, general domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents, political events or acts by terrorists, and other important factors described from time to time in the reports filed by the Company with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.