Dryships Acquires Remainder of Drilling Rig

DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ:DRYS), a global provider of marine transportation services for drybulk cargoes and off-shore contract drilling services, announced today that it has closed the acquisition of the remaining 25% of the total issued and outstanding capital stock of Primelead Shareholders Inc.

Primelead is now a wholly-owned subsidiary of the company. Primelead’s principal assets include two owned and operational ultra deepwater semisubmersible drilling rigs, the Eirik Raude and the Leiv Eiriksson, and four newbuilding drillship contracts for Hulls 1837, 1838, 1865 and 1866. Upon delivery of the newbuilding drillships, Primelead will possess one of the youngest and most sophisticated fleets of ultra deepwater drilling rigs and drillships in the industry. The newbuilding drillships have contractual delivery dates commencing in the fourth quarter of 2010 and ending in the third quarter of 2011. In addition to its drilling rig assets, Primelead owns Ocean Rig ASA which manages the commercial, operational and technical aspects of the six drilling rig assets.

(www.dryships.com)