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Shipping
Why Seablindness, Not Putin, Could Be The Biggest Energy Threat
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Vladimir Putin’s attempts to destroy Ukraine have been met with powerful resistance, and his energy war against the West has
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 and earned an MBA from Marist College. 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.
Friday, January 20, 2023
Tuesday, January 10, 2023
Navy
Will SSB Radio Return To The US Naval Academy?
A small group of retired officers is hoping to rekindle dormant radio clubs at the US Merchant Marine, US Coast Guard, and US Naval Academy. by John Konrad,
Monday, January 2, 2023
Shipping
A Deep Dive Into Shipping And Famine
This editorial dives deep into the devastating effects of shipping on global starvation. Uncover how the marine transportation of fertilizer and food is
Cruise Ships
Australia Port Entry To Fouled Cruise Ship
by John Konrad (gCaptain) What should have been a dream holiday for passengers, a holiday cruise through the glittering blue waters from Auckland to Sydney has
Saturday, December 31, 2022
Piracy
Dead In The Water – The Best Maritime Book Of The Year
The following is a review of the book Dead In The Water, a book about the Brillante Virtuoso, a tragedy that shook the shipping world and left us all
Navy
US Navy Released Worst Rust Photo To Date
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) In April, the US Chief Of Naval Operations (CNO) Admiral Mike Gilday, issued a stern warning to the US Navy fleet: rust-free
Friday, December 16, 2022
Navy
German Cruiseship Yard Werften Will Start Building Submarines
Disney may have purchased the last large cruiseship constructed by the famed shipyard MV Werften. The shipyard’s new owner desires to broaden their
Wednesday, November 30, 2022
Offshore
Offshore Industry Is Moving Up And Out Of The Doldrums
Speaking at the Marine Money ship finance forum in New Orleans, a representative of VesselsValue said he is optimistic about the offshore industry for the
Sunday, November 27, 2022
Evergreen
Watch: The Insane Logistics Of Shutting Down The Entire Cruise Industry
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, thousands of mariners were stuck at sea aboard thousands of ships worldwide. Most of those ships continued to operate
Friday, November 25, 2022
Navy
Kongsberg To Arm Royal Navy With Long-Range Missiles
UK and Norwegian authorities have today announced that they have agreed to further strengthen existing defense ties. The Royal Navy will receive the Naval
Navy
Book Review: Heavy Metal, The Inside Story Of US Navy Shipbuilders
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) Today is the busiest shopping day in the United States and, with retail inventories at record levels and the backlog of ships
Navy
The End Of The World Is Just Beginning For Shipping
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) There is a large shipping company that’s made record profits in recent years after changing its operational model to bet
Saturday, November 12, 2022
Defense
US Merchant Marine Academy Appoints Joanna Nunan As First Female Superintendent
The US Maritime Administration (MARAD) today announced the appointment of retired US Coast Guard 2-Star admiral Joanna Nunan as the next superintendent of the
Wednesday, November 9, 2022
Merchant Marine
Sunak Cancels Boris Johnson’s Yacht To Build Pipeline And Cable Protection Ships
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Monday, the UK announced it canceled Boris Johnson’s National Flagship project. The flagship was an elegant yacht intended to
Tuesday, November 8, 2022
Shipping
Russian Oil Exports Hold Steady As Deadline Approaches
Ship tracking data obtained by S&P Global indicates that Russian tanker shipments of crude oil rose slightly in October as declining oil product exports
Navy
US Navy Recruits Older Middle Age Sailors
by John Konrad (gCaptain) The US Navy is facing recruiting challenges in a tight labor market, and has raised its maximum enlistment age to 41 in order to
Environment
Norway Joins New Green Marine Hub Initiative At COP27
Yesterday the governments of Panama, Uruguay, and Norway endorsed the CEM-Hubs initiative to supply green fuels and support decarbonization efforts. The
Monday, November 7, 2022
Navy
US Shipyards – Record Revenue At Firesale Valuations
With billions of dollars in new contracts why are US shipyard valuations hitting record
Sunday, November 6, 2022
Environment
Maersk Accuses Big Oil Of Holding Back On Green Fuel
by John Konrad (gCaptain) In an interview with the Financial Times (FT) last week Maersk warned that oil companies are holding back the shipping
Friday, October 28, 2022
Ports
Buttigieg Announces $703M For US Port Infrastructure
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Today, U.S. Department of Transportation secretary Pete Buttigieg announced more than $703 million to fund 41 projects in 23 US
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