ASPO Plc STOCK EXCHANGE BULLETIN May 28, 2009 at 15:45 ESL Shipping Ltd, part of Aspo Group, has sold its oldest ship - Ms Kontula 29 years - for a price of USD 4.0 million. The transaction was concluded today, May 28, 2009. An estimated profit of about EUR 3.0 million for the sales will be recognized in the result for the second quarter, and the impact on the entire fiscal year 2009 is positive. The divestment of Kontula, built in 1980, is part of the ship fleet renewal according to ESL Shipping's strategy. "The new vessel ordered from India will be completed at the end of the year. Kontula's use would have required substantial repair investments. This is why we decided to give up the ship already at this stage, although our transport capacity will temporarily be decreased. We feel that the price obtained for the ship is very good given the existing market situation," says Aki Ojanen, CEO of Aspo. All ships in the ESL Shipping fleet sail under the Finnish flag. After the transaction, the fleet will include 16 ships. ESL Shipping is a dry bulk sea transport company operating in the Baltic Sea area. Its main clients include the energy, steel and chemical industries. In 2008, the steel industry accounted for 64 percent of the cargo volumes transported, whereas the energy industry accounted for 28 percent and other industries for 8 percent. ASPO Plc Aki Ojanen CEO For more information, please contact Aki Ojanen, CEO, Aspo Plc, tel. +358 9 7595 363, +358 400 106 592 Markus Karjalainen, CEO, ESL Shipping Ltd, +358 400 888 020 markus.karjalainen@eslshipping.fi www.aspo.com Distribution: NASDAQ OMX Helsinki Key Media www.aspo.com Aspo is a conglomerate that owns and develops businesses in the Baltic Sea region focusing on demanding B-to-B customers. The aim of our strong corporate brands - ESL Shipping, Leipurin, Telko and Kaukomarkkinat - is to be the market leaders in their sectors. They are responsible for their own operations, customer relationships and the development of these. Together they generate Aspo's goodwill. Aspo's Group structure and business operations are developed persistently without any predefined schedules.