Mercer International Inc. Announces Commencement of Shares

New York, New York, USA, 22 May 2006 -- /PRNewswire/ -- Mercer International Inc. Nasdaq: MERC; TSX: MRI.U) today announced that it has commenced a public offering of its shares of common stock. The company plans to offer approximately 9,000,000 of its shares of common stock (approximately 10,350,000 shares if the underwriters exercise their over-allotment option in full). The offering will be made under the company's shelf registration statement filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission and dated 23 December 2004.

The net proceeds from the offering will be used to increase the company's equity capital and liquidity. Such proceeds may be used to retire debt and for general corporate purposes, including working capital and incremental projects to improve the performance of the company's pulp mills that may arise from time to time.

Raymond James and RBC Capital Markets will be lead managers for the offering of the shares of common stock, with UBS Investment Bank serving as co-manager. The offering of the shares may only be made by means of a prospectus. A copy of the preliminary prospectus supplement and accompanying prospectus relating to the offering of the shares can be obtained from Raymond James at 880 Carillon Parkway, St. Petersburg, Florida, 33716 or RBC Capital Markets at One Liberty Plaza, New York, New York 10006.

Mercer

Mercer International Inc. is a global pulp and paper manufacturing company. It operates three modern NBSK pulp mills in Germany and Canada with a consolidated annual production capacity of approximately 1.3 million metric tons.

Source: Mercer International Inc.