His rundown of painful metaphors came as the outgoing General Maritime CFO lifted the lid on the restructuring of the one-time New York-listed heavyweight.

Pribor, speaking at Marine Money in London, told the delegates being asked to recall the Chapter 11 process reminded him of his wife's assessment of childbirth.

He told delegates at the Dorchester Hotel: "She said it's a really good job women can't remember the pain of childbirth or they would never do it again.