John Konrad

As a result of the state’s mandate for COVID-19 vaccines, Washington’s ferry service faces a potential slowdown over Labor Day weekend as mariners stage “sickouts”. The Washington State Ferries (WSF) said they expect long ferry lines on Labor Day weekend due...

By John Konrad (gCaptain) Early this year the influential American Maritime Officers union endorsed Captain Kevin P. Stith for the job of Administrator of the United States Maritime Administration in...

US Navy and Israeli Navy have strengthened ties by conducting combined maritime security patrols in the Red Sea. Four Israeli and U.S. Navy ships sailed together in the Gulf of...

This month NOAA released the 2021 Biennial Report to Congress for illegal, unreported, unregulated (IUU) fishing activities and bycatch of protected marine life on the high seas. In it, the...

The Biden administration confirmed late on Tuesday it plans to extend requirements for travelers to wear masks aboard ferries, at ports, and all other public transportation modes. The Transportation Security...

While most of the Pentagon is focused on evacuating Afghanistan, the US Navy’s Expeditionary Sea-Base USS Hershel “Woody” Williams – the first US ship permanently assigned to West Africa –...

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) Today, Congressmen Rob Wittman and Mike Gallagher introduced the Surface Warfare Officer Leadership Enhancement (SWOLE) Act that will change how navy ship drivers are trained....

Hydrogen is the most abundant substance in the universe but a new peer-reviewed study suggests that using it to propel ships may create more climate problems than it solves. What...

In June of this year, the U.S. Coast Guard welcomed Adm. Linda L. Fagan as its new Vice Commandant. In doing so, she becomes the first female four-star Admiral in...

by John Konrad (gCaptain) Ports have taken center stage during COVID-19. While countless airports, roads, and trains ground to a halt during the peak of the pandemic last year, authorities...

Royal Caribbean International, which operates the biggest cruise ships in the world, including “Symphony of the Seas,” said on Tuesday it will restart sailing in September, and the complete fleet of ships...

by John Konrad (gCaptain) The mega-sized containership M/V Ever Given arrived in the Dutch Port of Rotterdam early Thursday after being released by authorities in Egypt. The ship was scheduled to...

It has been well over 200 years since the first fireboat proved her effectiveness, but when one of the US Navy's largest ships caught fire in the Navy's most important port last year, there wasn't a single fireboat available to help.

by John Konrad (gCaptain) Shares of Navios Maritime Partners $NMM fell 7.5% this morning after the company announced a six-ship order for mid-sized containerships. Angeliki Frangou, CEO of the company,...

South Africa’s state-owned ports and freight-rail company, Transnet, has declared force majeure after disruptions caused by a cyberattack last week. The measure was imposed because of the effects of the...

by John Konrad (gCaptain) The Baltic Exchange’s main sea freight index, the Baltic Dry Index (BDI), rose for a fourth straight session on Monday, fueled by higher demand for Capesize...

California has given Scripps Institute of Oceanography $35 million to design and build a new coastal research vessel. The project includes a hydrogen-hybrid propulsion system.

Today Indian media reported that Beijing has imposed an unofficial ban on ships crewed by Indian seafarers. The Times of India, which is the largest selling English-language daily newspaper in...

by John Konrad (gCaptain) Earlier this month, the Biden Administration signed an order cracking down on anti-competitive behavior in the shipping industry. This week a source close to the administration says the...

This week Russian President Vladimir Putin met with the country’s shipbuilding executives to review plans to prioritize short sea shipping with the hope of bypassing the Suez Canal. “We are...