Star Bulk Carriers Corp. announced that it has entered into definitive agreements with Paul, Weiss client Excel Maritime Carriers Ltd. to acquire 34 operating vessels for aggregate consideration of $634.91 million, comprised of 29.917 million shares of Star Bulk common stock and $288.39 million in cash. Upon completion of the transaction, Star Bulk's position as the largest U.S. listed dry bulk company will be further enhanced, with a fleet of 103 vessels on a fully delivered basis. Paul, Weiss client Oaktree Capital Management, L.P. is currently the largest shareholder of both Star Bulk and Excel, and will own approximately 57.3% of Star Bulk's common shares when the vessel acquisitions are completed and the Star Bulk common shares forming part of the consideration are distributed to Excel's shareholders. Star Bulk is a publicly listed company and its common stock trades on the Nasdaq Global Select Market under the symbol "SBLK." The transaction has been approved by the Board of Managers of Excel and the Board of Directors of Star Bulk, each based upon the recommendation of a transaction committee of disinterested directors established by the respective Boards, which considered the transaction on behalf of their respective companies in coordination with such company's management team.

The Paul, Weiss team serving as counsel to Excel and the Oaktree investors included corporate partners Ken Schneider, Eric Goodison and Larry Wee and counsel Stephen Koo; tax partner Rick Bronstein; and employee benefits partner Andrew Gaines and counsel Erin Murphy.