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Whether it’s a source for an article, helping a forum member find a job or answering questions from the press, here at gCaptain we spend a considerable amount of time locating and contacting experts within the maritime industry. Sometimes this is difficult. Part of the reason we were able to launch Unofficial Networks, our web building and search engine optimization group, is that we noticed very few maritime companies are easy to find on Google. With the recent popularity of social media we found that sometimes it’s easier to located people on networking sites. Facebook is one option but for locating decision makers in specific companies our first stop is always LinkedIn.

LinkedIn FAQ Video

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The Groups

The best feature of LinkedIn are the groups. While not having nearly as many active participants as our forum, the linkedin groups do contain interesting and well thought discussions. That is if you know which ones to join.

Maritime Executive

The most popular and highest quality group for industry discussion is The Maritime Executive group. Run by the same people who bring us the free MAREX Newsletter, this group is a meeting ground for shipping executives and industry insiders.

Merchant Mariner

More interested in driving ships than sitting behind a desk? Then the Merchant Mariner group should be your first choice. While the discussions are not fresh with the latest content you will still find the occasional rumor and scuttlebutt not to mention jobs not listed on anywhere else on the web. One note… you must have worked aboard a ship to participate.

Super-Yacht Owner

Ok it only has three members but having “Super-Yacht Owner” on your LinkedIn portfolio is a status symbol few people can afford. Join it today just be sure not to hold your breath waiting for acceptance.

Maritime Network/Group

Maybe it’s because this is the first ever guide to the nautical side of Linked In but most people lack imagination and end up joining the group with largest subscriber list. If you are looking for the highest quantity of posts then visit the Maritime Network and Maritime Group.

gCaptain Group

Ok, so we are behind on the stats. Maybe it’s because most of our readers prefer the forum or maybe the reason is we don’t spend enough time there ourselves? Whatever the reason, help promote your favorite site by joining the gCaptain group.

Many More…

If you are still hunting for a group that serves your taste then be sure to visit my profile for a more complete listing. Alternativly you could just perform a group search. Your choice!

Q&A

Another popular feature on LinkedIn is Questions and Answers. The problem we have is that maritime specific questions receive better response when asked within a group. That being said… for general questions, the feature is excellent.

Jobs & Conferences

While we are big fans of LinkedIn, some features leave much to be desired. For upcoming conferences spend your time at MaritimeTradeShows.com and for jobs… well you’re going to need to call a headhunter (try Faststream!) or wait for us to put the final touches on gCaptain’s new job board.

Related Articles:

1. Maritime and Offshore Industry Events Calendar
2. gCaptain’s Maritime Jobs FAQ