DryShips chief executive George Economou says the company is ready to start hunting for vessels to buy after closing a $200m refinancing with one of his private affiliates.

The New York-listed tanker and offshore vessel owner said today that it signed definitive documentation for the new senior revolving credit facility from Economou's Sifnos Shareholders.

The new facility gives DryShips $76.9m in cash and $79m in undrawn borrowing capacity.

Nearly