HAMILTON, BERMUDA, Oct. 30, 2009 (Marketwire) --

HAMILTON, BERMUDA -- (Marketwire) -- 10/30/09 -- TBS International Limited (NASDAQ: TBSI) ("TBS") will hold meetings of its shareholders on Friday, December 4, 2009. TBS's shareholders will be asked to vote, in person or by proxy, at a special court-ordered meeting on the company's proposal to change the place of incorporation of the company whose shares TBS shareholders own to Ireland from Bermuda. TBS's shareholders will also be asked to vote at a special general meeting on proposals to establish distributable reserves of TBS International plc, the proposed new Irish holding company, and to approve the amended and restated TBS International 2005 Equity Incentive Plan. The meetings will be held at the law offices of Bleakley Platt & Schmidt, LLP, One North Lexington Avenue, White Plains, New York 10601.

TBS filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) today a definitive proxy statement for the shareholder meetings. The company expects to mail the proxy statement on or about November 3, 2009 to all TBS shareholders of record as of October 20, 2009, the record date for the shareholder meetings. At the meetings, shareholders will vote on the proposals contained in the proxy statement. Additional information about the proposals, including associated benefits and risks, is set forth in the definitive proxy statement.

This communication is being made in respect of the proposed transaction. In connection with the transaction, TBS has filed a definitive proxy statement today with the SEC and will mail the proxy statement to its shareholders. Shareholders are urged to read such proxy statement because it will contain important information. The proxy statement is, and other documents filed or to be filed by TBS with the SEC are or will be, available free of charge at the SEC's website (www.sec.gov) and at TBS's website (www.tbsship.com).

TBS and its directors and executive officers and other persons may be deemed participants in the solicitation of proxies in connection with the proposed transaction. Information regarding the persons who may, under the rules of the SEC, be deemed participants in the solicitation of TBS shareholders in connection with the transaction is set forth in the proxy statement filed with the SEC. You can find information about TBS's directors and executive officers in the definitive proxy statement filed on April 30, 2009. You can obtain free copies of these documents from TBS on TBS's website at www.tbsship.com.

Forward-Looking Statements "Safe Harbor" Statement under the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995

This press release contains forward-looking statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995.