John Konrad

Captain John Konrad is the founder and CEO of gCaptain and author of the book Fire On The Horizon. He is licensed to captain the world's largest ships and has sailed from ports around the world. John has built some of the world's most advanced ships and managed billion-dollar offshore construction projects in some of the world's harshest marine environments. John is a distinguished alumnus of New York Maritime College. @JohnKonrad


Sunday, September 15, 2024
SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule descending with four large parachutes during atlantic ocean splashdown after completing the Polaris Dawn mission. Two recovery boats approach the capsule.
News

Successful Ocean Recovery Caps Historic SpaceX Mission

Billionaire Jared Isaacman and the Polaris Dawn crew made a triumphant return to Earth on Sunday, marking the end of a historic mission. The SpaceX Crew Dragon

September 15, 2024
Total Views: 1348

Japan's newest aircraft carrier underway during joint military exercises in the pacific theater
Navy

Japan’s Largest Aircraft Carrier Sails To California For Flight Trials

Japan’s military is making moves that will put it in the big leagues of naval aviation. Later this year, the Izumo-class carrier Kaga will head to the waters

September 15, 2024
Total Views: 24118

Coast Guard Flagship BRP Teresa Magbanua (MRRV-9701) underway at sea
Defense

Philippines Withdraws Coast Guard Flagship From South China Sea Amid Tensions With China

By Andreo Calonzo (Bloomberg) The Philippines withdrew its Coast Guard vessel from a South China Sea shoal that’s recently been at the center of tensions

September 15, 2024
Total Views: 1975

Saturday, September 14, 2024
US Merchant Mariner handling lines on the bow of an American flagged ship
Navy

China’s Seafarer Wages Soar as U.S. Mariners Struggle with Pay Stagflation

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) For decades, American merchant mariners have been in a state of stagnation. Despite their crucial role in U.S. shipping and

September 14, 2024
Total Views: 2593

Anduril Barracuda naval missle
Navy

Could Cargo Ships Become Armed Battle Platforms with Anduril’s Barracuda-M Missiles?

Picture this: a vast container ship, plowing through the open sea, its steel hull reflecting the soft shimmer of moonlight. It’s carrying cargo, bound

September 14, 2024
Total Views: 5793

Tuesday, September 10, 2024
Crew refurbishing an old tug-boat in New York Harbor
Shipping News

Bridge to Disaster: How Coast Guard Apathy is Sinking A New York Tugboat Business

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) On a crisp morning that should have promised smooth sailing, Captain Mike Vinik found himself staring at a maze of

September 10, 2024
Total Views: 19366

Monday, September 9, 2024
Navy damage control tool
Navy

How a Navy Reservist Turned Firefighting Frustration into Lifesaving Innovation

By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) One of the most rewarding—and often the most frustrating—types of volunteer work I do is mentoring young startup

September 9, 2024
Total Views: 3502

Sunday, September 8, 2024
USS Independence LCS
Navy

US Navy Chief Busted For Illegal Starlink

Navy sailors often face restricted internet access during deployments for security reasons. However, senior enlisted leaders on the littoral combat ship

September 8, 2024
Total Views: 5636

Tuesday, September 3, 2024
Could Future Naval Battles Be Fought With Morse Code?
Navy

Could Future Naval Battles Be Fought With Morse Code?

Captain John Konrad (gCaptain) Could future naval battles be waged using Morse code flashed between ships? One admiral believes so. At the 3rd Indo-Pacific

September 3, 2024
Total Views: 3380

Monday, August 26, 2024
Anti-ship startup cruise missle
Navy

US Tech Titan Targets Ships: Y Combinator Backs Anti-Ship Missile Startup

In a move that could ripple through global naval strategies, Y Combinator—the California-based tech incubator behind Airbnb, Dropbox and Flexport—is now

August 26, 2024
Total Views: 1115

Saturday, August 24, 2024
Chinese coast guard icebreaker visitis Hong Kong
Shipbuilding

China Fast-Tracks Construction of New Icebreaker

China is accelerating the construction of a next-generation heavy-duty research icebreaker, signaling its growing ambitions in polar research and marking a

August 24, 2024
Total Views: 1895

Friday, August 16, 2024
Fire Erupts on Soviet-Era Carrier Minsk in China
Ship Fires

Fire Erupts on Soviet-Era Carrier Minsk in China

Chinese media is reporting a significant fire has erupted aboard the former Soviet Kiev-class aircraft carrier Minsk, which has been languishing in a man-made

August 16, 2024
Total Views: 9121

Tuesday, August 13, 2024
Trump Could Lead World To War Warns London-Based Shipping Chief
Shipping

Trump Could Lead World To War Warns London-Based Shipping Chief

Knives are out for Donald Trump in London shipping circles. In an interview published by the Financial Times today Guy Platten, chief of the International

August 13, 2024
Total Views: 5793

Saturday, August 3, 2024
USS Zumwalt Destoryer underway in the winter
Navy

Billions for EV Charging Stations, Pennies for Warships: Will The US Dollar Sink The Navy?

by John Konrad (gCaptain) Near the start of his term, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg was appropriated $7.5 billion to install hundreds of EV

August 3, 2024
Total Views: 4551

Tuesday, July 30, 2024
Valor Ignored: Pete Buttigieg’s Shameful Neglect of US Sailors Under Fire
Navy

Valor Ignored: Pete Buttigieg’s Shameful Neglect of US Sailors Under Fire

By Captain John Konrad (gCaptain OpEd) Naval experts have called the battle in the Red Sea the most intense naval combat the US Navy has faced this century.

July 30, 2024
Total Views: 20271

Saturday, July 6, 2024
Training Ship Empire State VII arrives at SUNY Maritime College in the Bronx, New York
Shipping News

New Training Ship Aborts European Cruise Amid Technical Troubles

New York Maritime College’s new training ship, Empire State VII, is canceling its planned European port visits during its maiden summer cruise and

July 6, 2024
Total Views: 7863

President Biden talks with US Naval officers after departing Air Force 1
Navy

Biden Declares Checkmate on China in Pacific – Naval Experts Disagree

by John Konrad (gCaptain) After a blitz of appearances promoting Operation Prosperity Guardian early in the year, the White House has been mostly silent this

July 6, 2024
Total Views: 7971

Saturday, June 22, 2024
Cover of the book The Neptune Factor: Alfred Thayer Mahan and the Concept of $ea Power Nick Lambert
Navy

Book Review – Mahan And The Money Of Seapower

By John Konrad (gCaptain) Alfred Thayer Mahan’s importance and strength lie in his groundbreaking ideas on sea power and its crucial role in national

June 22, 2024
Total Views: 2689

Thursday, June 20, 2024
Green Shipping In Conflict: The Clash of ESG, Venture Capital, and Red Sea Attacks
Navy

Green Shipping In Conflict: The Clash of ESG, Venture Capital, and Red Sea Attacks

The IMO and industry leaders have voiced outrage and concern following the reported sinking of the M/V Tutor and the deaths of seafarers.

June 20, 2024
Total Views: 919

Wednesday, June 12, 2024
General Flynn Army Pacific Commander
Defense

Op-Ed: Shattering the Lynchpin Myth: The US Army’s Misguided Dominance in Pacific Strategy

by Captain John Konrad (gCaptain Op-Ed) In a viral video with over 200,000 views on X, General Charles Flynn, a 4-star Army commander in the Pacific and

June 12, 2024
Total Views: 3663