DryShips Inc. Reports Sale of Two Newbuilding Suezmaxes

ATHENS, GREECE--(Marketwire - Jan 14, 2013) - DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS), or the Company, an international provider of marine transportation services for drybulk and petroleum cargoes, and through its majority owned subsidiary, Ocean Rig UDW Inc., or Ocean Rig, of offshore deepwater drilling services, today announced the sale, via novation, of two of its tankers under construction at Samsung Heavy Industries, Esperona and Blanca, to a third-party buyer.

Under the terms of the two novation agreements dated December 27, 2012, the buyer assumes all rights, benefits, liabilities and obligations under both shipbuilding contracts, in exchange for cash consideration of $21.4 million (that is, $10.7 million for each vessel) paid by the Company to the Buyer.

As a result of this transaction, Dryships is released from all its obligations under the shipbuilding contracts, both as the contracting party and as a guarantor.

George Economou, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of the Company, commented:

"As we have stated recently, the reduction or elimination of CAPEX has become a top priority for the Company. With the sale of these vessels, Dryships has reduced its CAPEX by approx. $101 million, after taking into consideration the payment of $21.4 million to the Buyer of the vessels."

About DryShips Inc.
DryShips Inc. is an owner of drybulk carriers and tankers that operate worldwide. Through its majority owned subsidiary, Ocean Rig UDW Inc., DryShips owns and operates 10 offshore ultra deepwater drilling units, comprising of 2 ultra deepwater semisubmersible drilling rigs and 8 ultra deepwater drillships, 3 of which remain to be delivered to Ocean Rig during 2013 and 1 is scheduled for delivery during 2015. DryShips owns a fleet of 46 drybulk carriers (including newbuildings), comprising 12 Capesize, 28 Panamax, 2 Supramax and 4 newbuilding Very Large Ore Carriers (VLOC) with a combined deadweight tonnage of approximately 5.1 million tons, and 10 tankers (including newbuildings), comprising 4 Suezmax and 6 Aframax, with a combined deadweight tonnage of over 1.3 million tons.

DryShips' common stock is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market where it trades under the symbol "DRYS."

Visit the Company's website at www.dryships.com

Forward-Looking Statement
Matters discussed in this release may constitute forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements reflect our current views with respect to future events and financial performance and may 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 forward-looking statements in this release are based upon various assumptions, many of which are based, in turn, upon further assumptions, including without limitation, 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 it will achieve or accomplish these expectations, beliefs or projections.

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 changes in charterhire and drilling dayrates and drybulk vessel, drilling rig and drillship values, failure of a seller to deliver one or more drilling rigs, drillships or drybulk vessels, failure of a buyer to accept delivery of a drilling rig, drillship, or vessel, inability to procure acquisition financing, default by one or more charterers of our ships, changes in demand for drybulk commodities or oil, changes in demand that may affect attitudes of time charterers and customer drilling programs, scheduled and unscheduled drydockings and upgrades, changes in our operating expenses, including bunker prices, drydocking and insurance costs, changes in governmental rules and regulations or actions taken by regulatory authorities, potential liability from pending or future litigation, domestic and international political conditions, potential disruption of shipping routes due to accidents and political events or acts by terrorists.

Risks and uncertainties are further described in reports filed by DryShips Inc. with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission.