DryShips has sold its first vessels since announcing plans to sell 22 bulk carriers, comprising 20 panamaxes and two supramaxes.

Brokers report that the Athens-based owner has sold two 51,200dwt supramaxes, Byron (built 2003) and Galveston (built 2002), en bloc to an unnamed Middle Eastern buyer for US$6.3m and US$5.8m respectively. Both ships are geared and were built at the New Century shipyard in China.

DryShips bought the sisterships in 2007, near the height of the market, from Germany's Harren & Partner KG for US$51.6m and US$55.5m respectively. Their sale will doubtless incur a significant impairment loss for DryShips.

In September, the NASDAQ-listed company sold 13 capesizes and four panamax bulk carriers to a private firm owned by its CEO George Economou as part of a bigger plan to revitalize DryShips. The 17 ships were sold at an impairment loss of US$795m.