Join The Club
Incidents
US Army Deploys More Than 1,100 Specialists to Baltimore
by John Konrad (gCaptain) The U.S. Army has activated an emergency operations center for the Corps of Engineers (USACE) in Baltimore. This action mobilizes
John Konrad
Captain John Konrad is the founder and CEO of gCaptain, one of the world’s most-read maritime news websites, and a member of the Pentagon Press Corps. He holds a USCG Master Unlimited license. John studied naval architecture at the U.S. Naval Academy before graduating from SUNY Maritime College with a degree in Marine Transportation. He is also a Y Combinator Startup School alumnus. His decade at sea included service aboard Military Sealift Command-operated ships, crude-oil supertankers running to Valdez, and dynamically positioned drillships supporting deepwater projects. In industry leadership roles, he participated in major offshore exploration and drilling campaigns, including the KG-D6 discovery with Reliance Industries and world record-setting deepwater work with Chevron. On April 20, 2010, John had finished overseeing the $750 million Deep Ocean Ascension newbuild project for BP when the Deepwater Horizon exploded. His seven years at Transocean and personal ties to members of the Horizon crew drove him to investigate the disaster, resulting in Fire on the Horizon (HarperCollins, 2011). In 2025, he co-authored Returning from Ebb Tide: Renewing the United States Commercial Maritime Enterprise for Marine Corps University Press. John has contributed to publications including Forbes, CIMSEC, Lloyd’s List, and the U.S. Coast Guard Compass, and has appeared on outlets including NPR and the BBC. He has also consulted for major newsrooms and public institutions on maritime reporting and offshore industry topics. His reporting draws on primary documents, official maritime records, and on-the-record sources cultivated over two decades in the industry. He is an Associate Fellow of the Nautical Institute and a member of the Council of American Master Mariners and the Navy League of the United States. His work has been recognized with the U.S. Navy Combined Maritime Forces Naval Support Award and SUNY Maritime’s Distinguished Alumnus of the Year award.
Wednesday, March 27, 2024
Tuesday, March 26, 2024
Incidents
BREAKING: MV Dali Cited for Propulsion Issues Before Baltimore Incident
According to records from the public ship safety database Equasis, MV Dali – the ship that collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge this
Incidents
Can Biden Deliver On His Promise To Baltimore?
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) The collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge this morning was a terrifying event, deeply affecting a public
Incidents
Ship Lost Control Before Hitting Baltimore Bridge
The Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore collapsed early today after the large containerships Dali struck a primary support column. Two individuals were
Saturday, February 3, 2024
Navy
Stavridis Says Cyber And Military Escalation Against Iran Could Last Weeks
In an insightful interview yesterday with Lester Holt of NBC, retired Admiral James Stavridis, the former Supreme Allied Commander of NATO, provided
Sunday, January 28, 2024
Navy
Loose Lips Do Not Sink Ships, Public Apathy Does
By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain OpEd) Last week, two US-flagged ships manned by US Merchant Mariners were targeted by Houthis and forced to turn around. This
Monday, January 15, 2024
Shipping
Beyond G7 Gunboats: The Case for Naval Diplomacy to Secure the Red Sea
Both the G7 and the US-led military coalition have been unsuccessful in protecting trade in the Red Sea, Black Sea and other maritime regions. Is there a more
Saturday, January 13, 2024
Navy
A Navy In Crisis: It’s Time For The Conference Of Admirals
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain OpEd) Today, the US Navy is experiencing two contrasting situations. On one hand, the USS Carney and other warships continue
Wednesday, January 10, 2024
Navy
Greyhound Day: World War II Combat Tactics Return To The Red Sea
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) When it comes to Army combat, few commands harden a soldier like “fix bayonets”. However, in merchant convoy
Monday, January 8, 2024
Navy
Allied Warships Trickle Into Red Sea Coalition
by John Konrad (gCaptain) In the Red Sea, Operation Prosperity Guardian (OPG) is witnessing a gradual increase in naval strength. Led by the United States, OPG
Shipping
Houthi Bribe Allegations Rock Shipping Market
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Shares of the Israeli shipping company Zim plunged over 17 percent in premarket trading today following reports that their Chinese
Sunday, January 7, 2024
Ports
China’s COSCO Puts Israel Routes on Hold
According to breaking news by the Israeli financial news outlet Globes, the prominent Chinese shipping conglomerate COSCO has halted its maritime services to
Tuesday, January 2, 2024
Navy
USS Carney Returns To Persian Gulf With Combat Honors
by John Konrad (gCaptain) USS Carney, the formidable Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer renowned for its role in safeguarding ships in the Red Sea
Navy
Turkey Blocks UK Minehunters From Black Sea
by John Konrad (gCaptain) On Tuesday, Turkey made the controversial decision to block two British minehunter ships from entering the Black Sea, citing the
News
Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd Extends Red Sea Route Diversion
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Germany’s Hapag-Lloyd will continue to divert its vessels around the Suez Canal for security reasons, a spokesperson for the
Monday, January 1, 2024
Finance
US Treasury Targets Houthi Money Networks Behind Maritime Threats in the Red Sea
On Thursday the US Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) announced action against financial networks aiding the Houthi
Sunday, December 31, 2023
Navy
Maersk Opens Fire On Houthi Boat Swarm – US Navy Sinks Three
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Today in the Red Sea, the crew of the Maersk Hangzhou took evasive action and opened fire on Houthi boats that were aggressively
Thursday, December 28, 2023
Shipping
Carrier Competition And Positioning Complicate Red Sea Analysis
by John Konrad (gCaptain) In the dynamic world of global shipping, the partial blockage of the Red Sea has become a critical test of strategy for major
Wednesday, December 27, 2023
Environment
Will ESG, Climate Activists, and Houthis Help Boost Containership Profits?
Will the actions of Houthi militants and climate activists inadvertently avert the widely anticipated financial fallout in the containership market set for
Sunday, December 24, 2023
Navy
Is Maritime Media Putting Ships At Risk In The Red Sea?
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain OpEd) LloydsList is a competitor of my publication gCaptain. We believe in shipping media working together for the greater
Stay Informed. Stay Connected.
Get The Daily Insights That Power Maritime Professionals Worldwide
Essential maritime and offshore news, insights, and updates delivered daily straight to your inbox
