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.
By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) As another intense storm barrels down upon us—this time Milton, a hurricane of record-breaking intensity heading directly
By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) In a dramatic turn of events, HMNZS Manawanui, the Royal New Zealand Navy’s newly upgraded hydrographic salvage and
By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) – The strike paralyzing 36 American East and Gulf Coast ports has taken a dark turn. What began as a labor dispute over
China’s Coast Guard, which gained international attention last month during a 60 Minutes feature showcasing its harassment of Philippine ships, has made
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Images from social media confirm that members of the International Longshoreman Association (ILA) Union are on strike and starting to
NEW ORLEANS, LA (gCaptain) In a high-profile case involving environmental crimes at sea, two corporations—Privé Overseas Marine and Privé Shipping
The death of a worker at Hanwha Ocean’s shipyard early this month has ignited scrutiny over safety practices in South Korea’s shipbuilding industry.
by John Konrad (gCaptain) At a defense expo in the Philippines, South Korea’s Hanwha Ocean unveiled its Ocean 4300 frigate, signaling more than just a new
By Captain John Konrad – gCaptain has remained mostly silent on the so-called “bomb ship” Ruby, a vessel that has sparked widespread fear and
by John Konrad (gCaptain) Faulty welds on U.S. Navy nuclear submarines and aircraft carriers have ignited a firestorm on Capitol Hill, but this isn’t
TAIPEI (Taiwan News) – Taiwan news outlets are reporting the first batch of 100 land-based Harpoon anti-ship missile systems purchased from the United
by John Konrad (gCaptain) The Dutch Ministry of Defense has announced a bold investment of up to €1 billion in two new support vessels that could redefine
West Philippine Sea – by John Konrad (gCaptain) In a striking demonstration of maritime dominance, the Philippine Navy reported an unprecedented sighting
Washington, D.C. — Following reports that the U.S. Navy’s fleet oiler, USNS Big Horn, was damaged during a grounding off Oman’s
As global trade gets rocked by geopolitical events, gamblers are betting on supply chain and economic disruptions. Polymarket, a decentralized prediction
In the months leading up to the catastrophic implosion of OceanGate’s Titan submersible, the company’s desperation for cash had already set the stage for
by John Konrad – gCaptain has received multiple reports that the US Navy oiler USNS Big Horn ran aground yesterday and partially flooded off the coast
by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) In an unprecedented display of naval power, China has deployed three aircraft carriers at sea simultaneously for the first
In a move that could redefine the global energy landscape and eventually bring emissions-free energy to shipping, Rolls-Royce has inked a deal with the Czech
Marina del Rey, California (gCaptain) In the early evening Wednesday a yacht explosion in Los Angeles County, transformed from a tranquil harbor to a chaotic
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