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.


Sunday, August 7, 2016
Silver-Cloud-Cruise-Ship
Blog

Rio 2016 – US Basketball Stars Charter Luxury Cruise Ship

To minimize distractions and mitigate security concerns generated by the high profile of its star athletes, USA Basketball has been placing players

August 7, 2016
Total Views: 138

Sunday, July 31, 2016
Fishing Vessel Alaska Juris
USCG

Search Finds Oil Sheen But No Sign Of Alaska Juris

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The United States Coast Guard (USCG), has called off the search for the missing fishing vessel Alaska Juris which is presumed sunk in

July 31, 2016
Total Views: 247

Friday, July 29, 2016
Military Sealift Command To Honor Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk
Defense

Military Sealift Command To Honor Gay Rights Activist Harvey Milk

Military Sealift Command, the transportation provider for the US Navy, will name it’s newest ship after Harvey Milk, the San Francisco gay rights

July 29, 2016
Total Views: 202

Saturday, July 16, 2016
Dolphins escort HMS Ocean
Navy

Federal Court Rules Against The US Navy, In Favor Of Whales

The US Navy has wrongly used sonar at levels that could harm whales, seals, dolphins and walruses and disrupt their feeding and mating, ruled a federal appeals

July 16, 2016
Total Views: 135

Ocean Power Technology's PowerBuoy
Environment

Green Energy Stock Skyrockets After Power-Generating Buoy Deployment

Ocean Power Technologies Inc. climbed to a 19-month high after installing its first power-generating buoy designed for commercial use, off the coast of New

July 16, 2016
Total Views: 185

Sunday, July 10, 2016
Bravery At Sea: Indian Tanker Captain First Woman To Receive Prestigious IMO Award
News

Bravery At Sea: Indian Tanker Captain First Woman To Receive Prestigious IMO Award

Captain Radhika Menon, Master of the oil products tanker Sampurna Swarajya, is to receive the 2016 IMO Award for Exceptional Bravery at Sea for her role in the

July 10, 2016
Total Views: 146

waveroller tidal power plant
Environment

Alternative Ocean Power Moves Closer to ‘Bankability’

By Brian Parkin (Bloomberg) The two-century old dream of harnessing the power of the sea came closer to commercial reality after the European Investment Bank

July 10, 2016
Total Views: 100

Sunday, July 3, 2016
Press Releases

Denmark Moves to Digital Ship Certification

Denmark will put an end to the 100 years old tradition of certifying ships by means of old-fashioned certificates on paper. Until now, the vessel certification

July 3, 2016
Total Views: 39

Saturday, March 26, 2016
china-large-weather-survey-research-ship_HDR
NOAA

SPOTD – China’s Brand New “Flagship” Research Vessel

  The scientific expedition vessel “Xiangyanghong 03” was launched on Saturday and joined China’s oceanic research team in Xiamen,

March 26, 2016
Total Views: 187

Friday, March 18, 2016
Club gCaptain Secret Handshake
Blog

Club gCaptain – The Secret Handshake

One hour ago we launched the first edition of Club gCaptain Weekly. If you are a club member check your email. If you missed our inaugural edition then join

March 18, 2016
Total Views: 188

Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Club gCaptain Logo
gCaptain

Introducing Club gCaptain

        Since 2007, gCaptain has delivered quality articles for the maritime and offshore industries with a focus on depth, accuracy, and

March 15, 2016
Total Views: 108

Wednesday, February 17, 2016
Containership Engineroom
Photo

SPOTD: 6 Incredibly Ultra Wide Engine Room Panoramic Photos

Photographing a ship’s engine room is a daunting task for even the best maritime photographers because of the sheer size, breadth and scale of room and

February 17, 2016
Total Views: 1850

Wednesday, February 10, 2016
A GTT LNG containment tank.
Shipping News

GTT, DSME Pact to Advance LNG Membrane Technology

The world’s leading designer of membrane containment systems has linked up one of the world’s biggest shipbuilders to advance the commercial

February 10, 2016
Total Views: 164

Wednesday, December 2, 2015
South Korean Amphibious Landing Ship
Navy

SPOTD: Amphibious Battle Tank Transport Ship Sungoonbang

Today’s Ship Photo Of The Day shows the Korean Amphibious Ship (LST) Sungoonbang unloading a Republic of Korea Type 88 K1 Main Battle Tank during a 2004

December 2, 2015
Total Views: 842

Monday, November 30, 2015
2015 Gift Guide – Cyber Monday Stocking Stuffers
Blog

2015 Gift Guide – Cyber Monday Stocking Stuffers

Last week we brought you our official 2015 Holiday Gift Guide  followed by our Working Sailor’s Edition Gift Guide and today my email has dozens of

November 30, 2015
Total Views: 117

Monday, November 23, 2015
ocean-plastic floating debris
Environment

Biodegradable Plastics Don’t Work At Sea – Says New UN Study

“Don’t discard ‘Biodegradable’ plastics at sea” asks a new report from the United Nations because biodegradable

November 23, 2015
Total Views: 119

Sunday, November 22, 2015
US Coast Guard Icebreaker Healy Gangway
USCG

“A New Heavy Icebreaker Is Essential” Claim Great Lakes Senators

United States Senators Gary Peters and Debbie Stabenow sent a letter to the Senate Appropriations Committee on Homeland Security calling for robust funding in

November 22, 2015
Total Views: 76

Friday, November 20, 2015
gCaptain Nautical Gift Guide
Blog

2015 Gift Guide – Working Sailor Edition

Santa’s not the only one making lists and checking them twice this time of year. We know plenty of you are compiling wish lists in your tally books,

November 20, 2015
Total Views: 96

Tuesday, November 10, 2015
gCaptain Nautical Gift Guide
Blog

gCaptain 2015 Holiday Gift Guide

Santa’s not the only one making lists and checking them twice this time of year. We know plenty of you are compiling wish lists in your tally books,

November 10, 2015
Total Views: 202

Thursday, October 29, 2015
Ronald Spithout President Inmarsat Maritime
gCaptain

Is INMARSAT The Next Apple? Interview With Ronald Spithout

Over 35 years after eighty-six countries came together to found Inmarsat with a maritime safety mandate, the London-headquartered mobile communications

October 29, 2015
Total Views: 73