Vessel Operating Expenses
Vessel operating expenses were $20.2 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021, or $10,198 per vessel per calendar day, which is calculated by dividing vessel operating expenses by calendar days for the relevant time period for the vessels that were in our fleet. This was an increase of $1.4 million, or 7.2%, from $18.8 million, or $9,407 per vessel per calendar day, for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase in vessel operating expenses was primarily the result of an increase in crew wages and related costs of $0.9 million, or $532 per vessel per calendar day, and an increase of $0.7 million, or $382 per vessel per calendar day, in repairs and maintenance costs.
General and Administrative Expenses
General and administrative expenses were $11.1 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, an increase of $5.4 million, or 95.7%, from $5.7 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The increase was driven by the recording of a contingent liability of $4.0 million related to a disputed claim relating to one of our VLGCs readiness to lift a cargo scheduled by a charterer and increases of $1.1 million in salaries, wages and benefits, and $0.3 million in higher insurance premiums.
Interest and Finance Costs
Interest and finance costs amounted to $5.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, a decrease of $2.5 million, or 30.9%, from $8.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The decrease of $2.5 million during the three months ended March 31, 2021 was mainly due a decrease of interest incurred on our long-term debt, primarily resulting from a decrease in average indebtedness and a reduced margin from the refinancing of the commercial tranche of the 2015 AR Facility. Average indebtedness, excluding deferred financing fees, decreased from $659.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020 to $612.8 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021. As of March 31, 2021, the outstanding balance of our long-term debt, excluding deferred financing fees, was $602.1 million.
Unrealized Gain/(Loss) on Derivatives
Unrealized gain on derivatives amounted to approximately $3.3 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to a $12.9 million loss for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The favorable $16.2 million difference is primarily attributable to an increase of $12.0 million in the fair value of our interest rate swaps caused by changes in forward LIBOR yield curves and $4.2 million in favorable variances related to our forward freight agreement (“FFA”) positions settled prior to the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Realized Gain/(Loss) on Derivatives
Realized loss on derivatives was $0.9 million for the three months ended March 31, 2021, compared to a realized gain of $0.6 million for the three months ended March 31, 2020. The unfavorable $1.5 million change is primarily attributable to (1) fluctuations in floating LIBOR resulting in a $1.1 million unfavorable variance on realized losses in the current period on our interest rate swaps and (2) prior period settlements on our FFA positions of $0.4 million that did not recur as our FFA positions were all settled prior to the three months ended March 31, 2021.
Fiscal Year 2021 Results Summary
Our net income amounted to $92.6 million, or $1.86 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2021, compared to net income of $111.8 million, or $2.07 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2020.
Our adjusted net income amounted to $85.4 million, or $1.71 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2021, compared to adjusted net income of $130.0 million, or $2.41 per share, for the year ended March 31, 2020. We have adjusted our net income for the year ended March 31, 2021 for an unrealized gain on derivative instruments of $7.2 million. We have adjusted our net income for the year ended March 31, 2020 for an unrealized loss on derivatives of $18.2 million. Please refer to the reconciliation of net income to adjusted net loss, which appears later in this press release.
The unfavorable change of $44.6 million in adjusted net income for the year ended March 31, 2021 compared to the year ended March 31, 2020 is primarily attributable to (1) a decrease in revenues of $17.5 million; (2) increases of $10.5 million in general and administrative costs (inclusive of a contingent liability and corresponding expense of $4.0 million during