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.


Saturday, April 13, 2013
Are ‘Somali Pirates’ Real? Some May Only Be Acting
Piracy

Are ‘Somali Pirates’ Real? Some May Only Be Acting

The video opens in the slums of Eastleigh, a sprawling suburb of Nairobi in Kenya and home to ‘the fixer,’ a man who the UK’s Channel 4

April 13, 2013
Total Views: 65

Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Disney Fantasy
Blog

Deadly Distractions – Parents Question Cruise Line Policy As Boy Remains In Coma

“Can a sign prevent kids from drowning on cruise ships?” asked Kim Browning, a parent and frequent cruise ship guest, in a message sent to gCaptain

April 9, 2013
Total Views: 234

Monday, April 8, 2013
USS Guardian aground on Tubbahata Reef
Grounding Incidents

US Navy Fined For Damage To Protected Reef

US Navy marine biologist Lee Shannon led a team of scientists who conducted a new assessment last week on the extent of damage caused by the recent grounding

April 8, 2013
Total Views: 47

liquid robotics Wave Glider
Blog

A Floating Computer For The High Seas

Will robots soon take over the shipping lanes? San Francisco – Liquid Robotics has released its latest unmanned, autonomous marine robot. Dubbed the Wave

April 8, 2013
Total Views: 234

Sunday, April 7, 2013
Bertha Heavy Lift
Blog

Transporting The World’s Largest Digger [UPDATE]

Over the weekend the Seattle waterfront was lined with spectators welcoming a heavy lift ship offloading a hulking giant: Bertha, the five-story-tall, 6,700

April 7, 2013
Total Views: 74

an Antonio-class amphibious transport dock
Navy

US Navy Ship Commissioned In Memory Of 9/11 Victims

Yesterday the US Navy commissioned its newest landing transport dock ship, USS Arlington (LPD 24). Arlington honors the 184 victims who died when American

April 7, 2013
Total Views: 122

Saturday, April 6, 2013
poseidon mystery island - underwater hotel
Offbeat

Underwater Hotels – The World’s Most Spectacular

When your looking for adventure travel, the maritime industry has some spectacular options. From eco-cruise ships to Freighter Travel and more, the ocean is

April 6, 2013
Total Views: 3813

Wednesday, March 20, 2013
Erik Finnstrom, Statoil North America
Offshore

Gulf Of Mexico Lease Sale: Statoil 15, BP 0

BP refrained today from bidding on any new oil-drilling leases in the Gulf of Mexico (GoM) following the US government’s recent decision to prevent the

March 20, 2013
Total Views: 19

Tuesday, March 19, 2013
shipping-c02
Uncategorized

ICS Chairman Calls For Economic Sustainability In Shipping

Speaking yesterday at Connecticut Maritime Association’s Shipping 2013 conference in USA, Mr Masamichi Morooka, Chairman of the International Chamber of

March 19, 2013
Total Views: 39

Monday, March 11, 2013
navy-pirates
Piracy

Private Security – Is It Enough To Stop Pirates?

Private security firms are proving that armed security teams are an effective means of protecting individual ships but is it the only option? In 2012 the

March 11, 2013
Total Views: 53

Friday, March 8, 2013
Pirates Navy Video Game
Navy

US Navy Launches Official Anti-Pirate Video Game

Tired of reading about piracy online? Think you have what it takes to outsmart pirates? Well the US Navy is offering you an opportunity to help! At the Annual

March 8, 2013
Total Views: 234

Wednesday, March 6, 2013
FLIR cooled midwave infrared thermal camera
Press Releases

FLIR’s New Cooled Midwave Thermal Night Vision Camera

Last month FLIR Systems introduced the MU‐Series, the most technologically advanced thermal night vision system available to the maritime industry today.

March 6, 2013
Total Views: 135

Tuesday, February 5, 2013
Disaster Diaries Book by Sam Sheridan
Blog

The Disaster Diaries – From Sailor To Survivalist [Book]

Like most mariners, I like to be prepared for the unexpected. This doesn’t mean I’m building a survival bunker in my backyard, and I don’t

February 5, 2013
Total Views: 60

Wednesday, January 9, 2013
Press Releases

Globe Wireless And Airmar to Effectively Open the Italian Market

Globe Wireless and Arimar have announced today that they have entered into a long-term cooperation agreement to provide Globe Wireless products and services to

January 9, 2013
Total Views: 31

Monday, December 10, 2012
CGC Halibut Lifering
Blog

Bravery At Sea: Turning Towards The Dangerous And Unexpected

Southern California brings images of convertibles twisting along coastal highways, miles of superb beaches and near perfect weather. The description is

December 10, 2012
Total Views: 314

Thursday, December 6, 2012
Baltic Ace Sinking Begs the Question: Are RoRo’s Safe?
Incidents

Baltic Ace Sinking Begs the Question: Are RoRo’s Safe?

Equipped with built-in ramps and long tiers of decks, Roll On Roll Off (RoRo) ships are essentially floating parking garages that allow vehicles to be driven

December 6, 2012
Total Views: 2084

Sunday, November 25, 2012
Cyber Monday – Donations & Gifts
Blog

Cyber Monday – Donations & Gifts

Have you started your holiday shopping? While most of the United States is scouting the internet for holiday shopping deals many in New York City are still

November 25, 2012
Total Views: 30

Thursday, November 1, 2012
tt-salvage-logo
Marine Salvage

Introducing T&T Salvage

T&T Salvage, LLC is the new name of T&T BISSO. The change follows the Teichman Group’s acquisition of BISSO MARINE’s fifty percent share of

November 1, 2012
Total Views: 355

Tuesday, October 30, 2012
Conrad Typhoon
Blog

Conrad’s Typhoon – A Vivid Tale of Storm Survival at Sea

With collapsed buildings, fires, flooded subways, a beached ship, and scorched transformers throughout New York City, some residents are thinking there is no

October 30, 2012
Total Views: 291

Monday, October 29, 2012
sandy-winds-google-map
Marine Weather

Google Sets Up Hurricane Crisis Response Center

Already responsible for the loss of at least one ship, late-season Hurricane Sandy is expected to make landfall again tonight on the east coast of the United

October 29, 2012
Total Views: 32