FORM 6-K


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D. C. 20549



                        Report of Foreign Private Issuer
                      Pursuant to Rule 13a-16 or 15d-16 of
                       the Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                           For the month of March 2004


                     NORDIC AMERICAN TANKER SHIPPING LIMITED
                 (Translation of registrant's name into English)

                                   Cedar House
                                 41 Cedar Avenue
                                  Hamilton HMEX
                                     Bermuda
                    (Address of principal executive offices)

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

                             Form 20-F   X          Form 40-F
                                     --------                --------

     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
                                       -----    -----




INFORMATION CONTAINED IN THIS FORM 6-K REPORT

     Attached  hereto is a copy of a press  release  issued  by Nordic  American
Tanker Shipping Limited (the "Company") today, March 15, 2004.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

     BP Plc files  annual  reports on Form 20-F (File No.  1-6262) and  periodic
reports on Form 6-K with the Securities and Exchange  Commission pursuant to the
Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended.





                                NORDIC AMERICAN
                            TANKER SHIPPING LIMITED


FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE


Hamilton,  Bermuda,  March 15, 2004:  Nordic American  Tanker  Shipping  Limited
(AMEX:NAT,  OSE:NAT)  today  announced that based on  preliminary  results,  its
shareholders  have  overwhelmingly  voted to keep the Company in  business.  The
restrictions in its bye-laws will be lifted  automatically  on expiration of the
BP Charters on or about October 1, 2004.


Contact:     Gary J. Wolfe
             Seward & Kissel LLP
             Tel. 212-574-1223

             Rolf Amundsen, Esq.
             Amundsen & Partners AS
             011-47-90-82-69-06

CAUTIONARY STATEMENT REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS

Matters   discussed  in  this  press  release  may  constitute   forward-looking
statements.  The Private Securities  Litigation Reform Act of 1995 provides safe
harbor  protections  for  forward-looking   statements  in  order  to  encourage
companies   to   provide   prospective   information   about   their   business.
Forward-looking  statements  include  statements  concerning plans,  objectives,
goals, strategies,  future events or performance, and underlying assumptions and
other statements, which are other than statements of historical facts.

The  Company  desires to take  advantage  of the safe harbor  provisions  of the
Private  Securities  Litigation  Reform  Act  of  1995  and  is  including  this
cautionary statement in connection with this safe harbor legislation.  The words
"believe," "except," "anticipate," "intends," "estimate," "forecast," "project,"
"plan," "potential,"  "will," "may,"  "should,"  "expect," "pending" and similar
expressions identify forward-looking statements.

The  forward-looking  statements  in this press  release are based upon  various
assumptions,  many of which  are  based,  in  turn,  upon  further  assumptions,
including  without  limitation,   our  management's  examination  of  historical
operating  trends,  data  contained in our records and other data available from
third parties.  Although we believe that these  assumptions were reasonable when
made,   because  these   assumptions  are  inherently   subject  to  significant
uncertainties and contingencies which are difficult or impossible to predict and
are beyond our control,  we cannot assure you that we will achieve or accomplish
these expectations, beliefs or projections.





In addition to these  important  factors,  important  factors that, in our view,
could cause  actual  results to differ  materially  from those  discussed in the
forward-looking   statements   include  the  strength  of  world  economies  and
currencies,  general market  conditions,  including  fluctuations in charterhire
rates and vessel values,  changes in demand in the tanker market, as a result of
changes in OPEC's petroleum production levels and world wide oil consumption and
storage,  changes in the Company's operating expenses,  including bunker prices,
drydocking  and  insurance  costs,   the  market  for  the  Company's   vessels,
availability of financing and  refinancing,  changes in  governmental  rules and
regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from
pending or future  litigation,  general  domestic  and  international  political
conditions,  potential  disruption  of  shipping  routes  due  to  accidents  or
political events, and other important factors described from time to time in the
reports filed by the Company with the Securities and Exchange Commission




                                   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 authorized.


                     NORDIC AMERICAN TANKER SHIPPING LIMITED
                                  (registrant)



Dated:  March 15, 2004                    By:/s/ Herbjorn Hansson
                                             ----------------------------
                                                 Herbjorn Hansson
                                                 President and
                                                 Chief Executive Officer






01318.0002 #471199