Press Release: Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. Announces Expansion Plans in Morocco

AEGEAN MARINE PETROLEUM is a marine fuel logistics company that physically supplies and markets refined marine fuel and lubricants to ships in port and at sea. They intends to focus on growing its fleet of double hull bunkering tankers and expanding its service centers in strategic locations worldwide to further enhance the Companys extensive customer relationships and leading industry position. Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. has a market cap of $658.5 million; its shares were traded at around $18.05 with a P/E ratio of 18.9 and P/S ratio of 0.49. The dividend yield of Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. stocks is 0.26%.

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Press Release:

Company Appointed as the Exclusive Bunkering Company in Port of Tangiers

PIRAEUS, Greece, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. (NYSE: ANW) today announced that Horizon Tangiers Terminal S.A. (HTTSA), a special purpose consortium, has named Aegean as the exclusive bunkering company for the new port in Tangiers, Morocco. The agreement, which is scheduled to become effective in January 2009 upon completion of final documentation, will further expand Aegean's global presence.

The appointment of Aegean by HTTSA is an important part of the consortium's effort to expand the modern port in this growing region. Currently, the port serves approximately 7,000 vessels on an annual basis and is expected to increase to more than 10,000 vessels annually in 2010. Aegean will provide retail bunkering services to ships in port on an exclusive basis for a period of 25 to 35 years. Aegean will also have the right to expand its operation beyond the port perimeter, which is strategically located along the Strait of Gibraltar connecting the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea.

E. Nikolas Tavlarios, President, commented, "We are excited to have been appointed by HTTSA to serve as the exclusive, long-term bunkering company in the port of Tangiers upon conclusion of a competitive selection process. By once again entering a new strategic market, Aegean will further strengthen its leading position as an independent supplier of marine fuel on a global basis. The port of Tangiers serves as an attractive gateway to the vast Mediterranean and North African regions and is well positioned for future growth. As Tangiers continues to expand into a major transportation hub serving important shipping routes, we expect to enhance our ability to meet the burgeoning demand for our bunkering services and significantly increase sales volumes."

Mr. Tavlarios added, "We expect to commence operations in the first quarter 2009 upon receiving the necessary trading, bunkering, and environmental licenses required by the local authorities. Going forward, we intend to draw upon our considerable financial strength and capitalize on additional expansion opportunities that complement our existing platform and drive long-term shareholder value."

About Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc.

Aegean Marine Petroleum Network Inc. is an international marine fuel logistics company that markets and physically supplies refined marine fuel and lubricants to ships in port and at sea. The Company procures product from various sources (such as refineries, oil producers, and traders) and resells it to a diverse group of customers across all major commercial shipping sectors and leading cruise lines. Currently, Aegean has a global presence in 13 markets, including Vancouver, Montreal, Mexico, Jamaica, West Africa, Gibraltar, U.K., Northern Europe, Greece, the United Arab Emirates as well as Singapore, and plans to commence operations in Tangiers, Morocco and the southern Caribbean.

About Horizon Tangiers Terminals S.A.

Horizon Tangiers Terminals S.A. is a special purpose consortium created to construct and develop an oil storage and distribution terminal at the new Tangiers port development. The shareholders of the consortium are comprised of Horizon Terminals Ltd., Afriquia SMDC, and Independent Petroleum Group.

Cautionary Statement Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Matters discussed in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements. The Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe harbor protections for forward-looking statements in order to encourage companies to provide prospective information about their business. Forward-looking statements 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. The words "believe," "intend," "anticipate," "estimate," "project," "forecast," "plan," "potential," "may," "should," "expect" and similar expressions identify forward-looking statements. The forward-looking statements in this press release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, our management's examination of historical operating trends, data contained in our records and other data available from third parties. 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.

In addition to these important factors, other important factors that, in our view, could cause actual results to differ materially from those discussed in the forward-looking statements include our ability to manage growth, our ability to maintain our business in light of our proposed business and location expansion, our ability to obtain double hull secondhand bunkering tankers, the outcome of legal, tax or regulatory proceedings to which we may become a party, adverse conditions in the shipping or the marine fuel supply industries, our ability to retain our key suppliers and key customers, material disruptions in the availability or supply of crude oil or refined petroleum products, changes in the market price of petroleum, including the volatility of spot pricing, increased levels of competition, compliance or lack of compliance with various environmental and other applicable laws and regulations, our ability to collect accounts receivable, changes in the political, economic or regulatory conditions in the markets in which we operate, and the world in general, our failure to hedge certain financial risks associated with our business, our ability to maintain our current tax treatments and our failure to comply with restrictions in our credit agreements and other factors. Please see our filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission for a more complete discussion of these and other risks and uncertainties.

Source: PRNewsWire

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