The move to stop the $0.19 per quarter payout to shareholders is a sign of tough times driven by low oil prices.
The suspension will presumably have a significant adverse impact on Dryships as Ocean Rig is a subsidiary.
For the first three months of this year DryShips revenues from drilling contracts was four times voyage revenues.
DryShips has meanwhile announced that it has agreed to exchange the outstanding balance of $80m owed to Ocean Rig under a $120m exchangeable promissory note for 17.8m
