DryShips trimmed its loss in the fourth quarter but chief executive George Economou sought to put another losing year in the rearview mirror.

The New York-listed owner of bulkers, offshore vessels and an LPG carrier newbuilding reported a net loss of $77.5m, a 44.8% decline from the $140m of red ink in the same period of the prior year.

The quarter's numbers brought the full-year loss to $157m, far better than the $1.11bn