DryShips Inc. (NASDAQ: DRYS) through its majority owned subsidiary, Ocean Rig UDW Inc., announced that Ocean Rig, through its wholly-owned subsidiaries, Drillships Financing Holding Inc. (“DFHI”), and Dr illships Projects Inc., entered into a $1.8 billion senior secured term loan facility, comprised of tranche B-1 term loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to $975.0 million (“Tranche B-1 Term Loans”) and tranche B-2 term loans in an aggregate principal amount equal to $825.0 million (“Tranche B-2 Term Loans” and, together with the Tranche B-1 Term Loans, the “Term Loans”), with respective maturity dates in the first quarter of 2021, subject to adjustment to the third quarter of 2020 in certain circumstances, and the third quarter of 2016.
The Term Loans are initially guaranteed by Ocean Rig and certain existing and future subsidiaries of DFHI and are secured by certain assets of, and by a pledge of the stock of, DFHI and the subsidiary guarantors.
The net proceeds of the Term Loans were used by Ocean Rig to repay in full amounts outstanding under Ocean Rig’s $800.0 million secured term loan agreement and two $495.0 million senior secured credit facilities, amounting to approximately $1.6 b illion in the aggregate. The balance of the net proceeds are expected to be used by Ocean Rig to finance offshore drilling rigs and for the payment of fees and expenses associated therewith.