UNITED STATES
                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                                    FORM 6-K

   REPORT OF FOREIGN PRIVATE ISSUER PURSUANT TO RULE 13A-16 OR 15D-16 OF THE
                        SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934


For the month of                         September 2006
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Commission File Number:                      0-22704
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                       Ship Finance International Limited
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                 (Translation of registrant's name into English)


                    Par-la-Ville Place, 14 Par-la-Ville Road,
                            Hamilton, HM 08, Bermuda
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                     (Address of principal executive office)

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant files or will file annual reports
under cover of Form 20-F or Form 40-F.

Form 20-F [X]       Form 40-F [_]

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1): ___

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(1) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K if submitted solely to provide an attached annual report to security
holders.

Indicate by check mark if the registrant is submitting the Form 6-K in paper as
permitted by Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)7: ___

Note: Regulation S-T Rule 101(b)(7) only permits the submission in paper of a
Form 6-K if submitted to furnish a report or other document that the registrant
foreign private issuer must furnish and make public under the laws of the
jurisdiction in which the registrant is incorporated, domiciled or legally
organized (the registrant's "home country"), or under the rules of the home
country exchange on which the registrant's securities are traded, as long as the
report or other document is not a press release, is not required to be and has
not been distributed to the registrant's security holders, and, if discussing a
material event, has already been the subject of a Form 6-K submission or other
Commission filing on EDGAR.

Indicate by check mark whether the registrant by furnishing the information
contained in this Form is also thereby furnishing the information to the
Commission pursuant to Rule 12g3-2(b) under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Yes [_] No [X]

If "Yes" is marked, indicate below the file number assigned to the registrant in
connection with Rule 12g3-2(b):
82-______________.





INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT

Attached  as  Exhibit  1  is a  copy  of  the  press  release  of  Ship  Finance
International Limited (the "Company") dated today, September 5, 2006, announcing
the appointment of its new Chief Financial Officer.






                                    Exhibit 1


SFL - Appointment of Chief Financial Officer

Ship  Finance  International  Limited  ("Ship  Finance"  or the  "Company")  has
employed  Ole B.  Hjertaker  as the Chief  Financial  Officer  ("CFO")  for Ship
Finance  Management AS. Mr. Hjertaker is 39 years old and is currently  employed
by DnB NOR Markets as a director in the Corporate Finance  division.  DnB NOR is
one of the world's leading shipping and offshore banks.

Mr. Hjertaker has 12 years corporate and investment banking  experience,  mainly
within the Maritime/Transportation industries. He has a master of science degree
from the Norwegian School of Economics and Business Administration.

Mr.  Hjertaker is expected to take up his position with Ship Finance  Management
AS during the fourth quarter of 2006.

Chairman in Ship Finance Tor Olav Troim said in a comment:  "We are very pleased
to have recruited Mr.  Hjertaker to become the new CFO. His broad  international
background  as a senior  investment  banker and his very good  reputation in the
capital market secures our Company a very competent and professional CFO."


Ship Finance International Limited
September 5, 2006
Hamilton, Bermuda





                                   SIGNATURES


Pursuant  to the  requirements  of the  Securities  Exchange  Act of  1934,  the
registrant  has duly  caused  this  report  to be  signed  on its  behalf by the
undersigned, thereunto duly authorised.



                                         Ship Finance International Limited



Dated:  September 5, 2006                By /s/ Lars Solbakken
                                            -------------------------------
                                              Name:  Lars Solbakken
                                              Title: Chief Executive Officer






SK 23153 0001 700089