DryShips Inc. authorizes a Buyback Plan.

DryShips, Inc. is a holding company. The Company owns drybulk carriers and offshore support vessels. The Company operates through two segments: the drybulk carrier and the offshore support. Under its drybulk segment, the Company operates as a provider of drybulk commodities transportation services for the steel, electric utility, construction and agri-food industries. Under its offshore support segment, the Company operates as a provider of offshore support services to the global offshore energy industry. The Offshore support segment operates a diversified fleet of offshore support vessels. It owns a fleet of approximately 20 Panamax drybulk carriers, which have a combined deadweight tonnage (dwt) of approximately 1.5 million dwt and an average age of approximately 10 years, and six offshore supply vessels, comprising over two platform supply and four oil spill recovery vessels, and have an average age of approximately 3.1 years.