Consolidated Statements of Operations - USD ($)	12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Income Statement [Abstract]
Revenues, net	$ 236,784,625	$ 124,492,844	$ 103,856,876
Voyage expenses	62,351,252	42,093,714	23,832,457
Vessel expenses	78,607,244	74,016,763	86,329,060
Charter hire expenses	31,283,956	12,845,468	4,125,766
Depreciation and amortization	33,690,686	38,884,322	43,000,741
General and administrative expenses	33,126,310	22,905,802	25,537,007
Restructuring charges	0	5,869,025	0
(Gain)/loss on sale of vessels	(2,134,767)	101,860	5,696,675
Vessel impairment	0	129,027,862	50,872,734
Total operating expenses	236,924,681	325,744,816	239,394,440
Operating loss	(140,056)	(201,251,972)	(135,537,564)
Interest expense	29,376,994	21,799,146	11,927,422
Interest expense	(651,069)	(215,433)	(6,222)
Other (income)/expense	(37,905)	686,750	838,201
Loss on debt extinguishment	14,968,609	0	0
Total other expense (income), net	43,656,629	22,270,463	12,759,401
Net loss	$ (43,796,685)	$ (223,522,435)	$ (148,296,965)
Weighted average shares outstanding:
Basic (in shares)	69,182,302	20,565,652	1,880,116
Diluted (in shares)	69,182,302	20,565,652	1,880,116
Per share amounts:
Basic net loss (in dollars per share)	$ (0.63)	$ (10.87)	$ (78.88)
Diluted net loss (in dollars per share)	$ (0.63)	$ (10.87)	$ (78.88)