It posted a three-month profit of $11.2m, compared to a loss of $8m in the same stage of 2013, when a $20.8m impairment was recognised.

Quarterly revenue was $31.9m, down 12% from the corresponding period.

Taking an impairment loss into account, Rickmers posted a deficit of $16m for 2014, against a profit of $23.4m in 2013.

But excluding the impact of this impairment, profit for the year would have been $47m, improving from $44.2m