As the joint U.S.-Israeli war on Iran stretches into its third week, Louisiana maritime leaders are keenly monitoring disruptions to the global supply chain, and energy markets in particular.
The effects of the conflict on the state’s shipping industry will be largely determined by its duration, experts say. But while the shock of high fuel prices and damage dealt to Gulf Arab economies threaten to inflate costs across the board, the destruction could also offer opportunities to Louisiana industry — in the form of more market share and reconstruction contracts.
Advertisement
The Mac Ubery VIII container ship passes under Crescent City Connection as it heads up the Mississippi to the Port of New Orleans
STAFF PHOTO BY DAVID GRUNFELD
“Clearly, the shorter the duration, the less disruption to the supply chain and to the global overall cost of moving cargo,” said Greg Rusovich, CEO of the logistics and freight company Transoceanic Development. “The longer the duration, the more severe the impact on the global supply chain and on a whole variety of related transportation costs.”
‘Biggest crisis’
Since the war began, oil prices have spiked to nearly $120 a barrel before falling and climbing again. The world’s largest liquified natural gas plant, in Qatar, was knocked offline by an Iranian drone strike and ceased production. Iraqi oil production is down by about 70%.
Advertisement
An oil tanker burns after being hit by an Iranian strike in the ship-to-ship transfer zone at Khor al-Zubair port near Basra, Iraq, late Wednesday, March 11, 2026. (AP Photo)
STR
Advertisement
And the Strait of Hormuz has been effectively blockaded, cutting off the route through which about 20% of the world’s petroleum usually passes. Only 66 commercial vessels transited the strait during the first nine days of March, compared with more than 100 a day before the outbreak of war, according to the maritime intelligence firm Windward. Iranian forces on Wednesday attacked several commercial vessels in the strait, and as of Thursday, at least seven mariners have been killed in the conflict, according to The Associated Press.
Because of global supply chains in a world that is deeply interconnected through international trade, the increased energy costs will spread throughout the economy, impacting energy costs, goods and, by extension, construction costs.
“It is going to have an impact on everybody personally,” said Chett Chiasson, executive director of the Greater Lafourche Port Commission, which handles Port Fourchon and services about 95% of the Gulf’s deepwater energy production. “But it’s also going to have an impact on projects because higher fuel costs increase the cost for contractors and projects in general.”
Advertisement
Chett Chiasson, executive director at Port Fourchon and South Lafourche Airport, speaks during March 16, 2023, news conference at the Port of New Orleans building in New Orleans.
STAFF PHOTO BY SOPHIA GERMER
Chiasson said significant disruptions would have to linger for several months to spur major investment shifts, as Louisiana’s oil and gas producers lack OPEC members’ ability to quickly “turn the spigot” to increase output.
“There’s the ability to ramp up, if and when necessary,” he said. “We just have to see the operators pull those triggers.”
Advertisement
Import vs. export
For the Port of New Orleans, Louisiana’s only international container port, the immediate shock to the system from the stopped-up strait has been blunted — in part, experts said, because operators rerouted around the southern tip of Africa in late 2023 in response to attacks on commercial shipping by Houthi rebels.
“The shipping industry had already been largely avoiding that area unless cargo was destined for the Middle East,” said Port NOLA Chief Commercial Officer Kristi App.
While the cost of bypassing the Red Sea has already been factored in by the industry, many major carriers have recently imposed new emergency surcharges to cover increased fuel cost.
Advertisement
Kristi App became the chief commercial officer of the Port of New Orleans in December 2025.
Provided photo
“There’s been a pause button pushed from a lot of the carriers, whether they are carrying containerized cargo or bulk or breakbulk, to see if this is just going to be a few days into a few weeks — much like Venezuela was,” App said.
But the longer the Strait of Hormuz remains blocked, the more likely congestion will spread to transshipment hubs around the world, with repercussions for the entire global supply chain.
Advertisement
Last year, Port NOLA handled about 514,600 TEUs — the unit equivalent to standard 20-foot shipping containers — up 3% from the prior year, while the total number of container ships was up 7.7% to 394.
App predicted the conflict is unlikely to take a significant cut out of that traffic.
“We feed cargo into and out of the Middle East, but it is not our major market, so from that perspective, we’re well-insulated from any heavy or intense volume impact,” she said. “We’re diversified, which is good.”
Downriver, the Port of South Louisiana, which handles over 250 billion tons of cargo annually, is keeping in close contact with the seven grain transfer complexes, four major oil refineries, 11 petrochemical manufacturing plants and other industrial facilities within the 54-mile long port district, according to Chief Commercial Officer Micah Cormier.
“While too early to assess effects of this conflict, we are in communication with stakeholders and partners to gauge the impact to our Port and industry,” Cormier said in a statement.
Advertisement
Post-war profit?
Transoceanic Development CEO Greg Rusovich, pictured a 2016 file photo, speaks during a press conference at Louis Armstrong International Airport.
Brett Duke, NOLA.com | The Times-Picayune
Advertisement
“There are a large number of Louisiana contractors that perform that type of work that could go in and help bring the country back under the right regime and help it become part of the global system,” Rusovich said.
On the downside, he said, the economic damage inflicted by Iran’s attacks on the United Arab Emirates and regional U.S. allies could trigger the Gulf monarchies to pull back from their commitments to significant capital investments in Louisiana.
Chiasson, the director of Louisiana’s primary base for offshore oil and gas operations, said increased oil prices will ultimately generate more revenue for the state’s producers, even if the long-term impact on the state’s maritime industry and the broader economy remains to be seen.
“We can’t make rash decisions either way because sooner or later, this is all going to be over and we’re getting back to where we thought we were going to be,” he said.
Advertisement
Port Fourchon, La., photographed on Saturday, June 3, 2023. (Flight courtesy of SouthWings)(Photo by Sophia Germer, NOLA.com, The Times-Picayune)
Louisiana State Police investigating deadly hit-and-run involving bicyclist
Advertisement
THE DRAFT STARTS AT 6:00. ALL RIGHT. ALSO WARM. TURNING TO WEATHER NOW A LIVE LOOK OUTSIDE ON YOUR MONDAY. WARM AND BREEZY. A COUPLE OF CLOUDS OUT THERE, BUT OVERALL A BEAUTIFUL START TO THE WORKWEEK. YEAH AND NO RAIN. LET’S GET STRAIGHT TO WDSU FIRST WARNING WEATHER METEOROLOGIST JIM SIREN. IT’S GOING TO BE PRETTY NICE ALL WEEK. YES IT IS. WE MAY SEE A COUPLE OF SPOTTY SHOWERS AS WE LOOK A LITTLE FURTHER DOWN THE ROAD, BUT MAYBE I’M OVERPLAYING THAT CHANCE FOR RAIN JUST BECAUSE WE NEED THE RAIN. HOWEVER, AS WE LOOK FARTHER DOWN THE ROAD, NOT ONLY DO WE HAVE A COLD FRONT, BUT WE HAVE A REAL GOOD CHANCE FOR RAIN, I THINK. BUT THAT’S IN THE EXTENDED EXTENDED FORECAST RIGHT NOW. SHORT TERM THINGS ARE LOOKING GOOD. PONTCHARTRAIN CONSERVANCY CAMERA SHOWING US MOSTLY SUNNY SKIES AND WITH THE SUNSHINE, WE’VE MADE IT TO THE MID 80S IN A COUPLE OF SPOTS. 85 BOGALUSA WE’RE AT 83 IN BATON ROUGE, 81 THE CURRENT TEMPERATURE IN SLIDELL. I ACTUALLY OVERHEARD A COWORKER SAY, IT’S KIND OF HOT TODAY AND I GUESS 85 DEGREES IF YOU’RE WORKING IN THE YARD. YEAH, THAT’S KIND OF HOT WINDS RIGHT NOW AT ABOUT TEN, 12, 15MPH. SOUTHEASTERLY WINDS BECOMING A BIT MORE SOUTHERLY BY MIDWEEK. THAT WILL BRING US A LITTLE MORE LOW LEVEL MOISTURE. THE DEW POINT TEMPERATURE IS GOING TO COME UP. WE’VE EVEN SEEN SOME WIND GUSTS IN EXCESS OF 20MPH HERE OVER THE LAST HALF HOUR OR SO. SO A BREEZY DAY TODAY, A BREEZY DAY TOMORROW. OFFICIALLY RIGHT NOW AT LOUIS ARMSTRONG INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT. WINDS BECOMING SOUTHERLY AT ABOUT 13 WITH A DEW POINT OF 61. THAT DEW POINT LIKELY COMING UP JUST A LITTLE BIT BY WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. IN THE SHORT TERM THOUGH, LET’S ENJOY THE NICE BREEZY WEATHER CLOUDS INCREASING TO THE WEST OF US, BUT IT’S REALLY HIGH PRESSURE AT THE SURFACE THAT’S GOING TO BRING US THE SOUTH TO SOUTHEASTERLY WIND TODAY, BECOMING MORE SOUTHERLY BY WEDNESDAY. THAT’S WHEN WE COULD SEE A FEW SPOTTY SHOWERS. BUT THE REAL THING THAT’S GOING TO CHANGE OUR WEATHER A LITTLE BIT IS PROBABLY GOING TO BE A COLD FRONT THAT’S GOING TO BE HERE THIS WEEKEND. WILL IT HOLD TOGETHER AS OF RIGHT NOW? I THINK SO. WATER VAPOR IMAGERY SHOWS US THIS. A LOT OF DRY AIR THAT’S GOING TO BE MOVING IN. SO TOMORROW I THINK IS GOING TO BE ANOTHER DAY WITH PLENTY OF SUNSHINE. ANY CLOUD COVER, JUST LOW LEVEL CUMULUS CLOUDS THAT REALLY WON’T BUILD INTO ANYTHING. LET’S GO HOUR BY HOUR. AND FIRST OF ALL, SHOW YOU THE EVENING WALK AROUND THE BLOCK AFTER DINNER. I HIGHLY RECOMMEND IT. TEMPERATURES ARE GOING TO BE IN THE LOW 70S ON THE NORTH SHORE. ACTUALLY LOW 70S, JUST ABOUT EVERYWHERE. CLOUD COVER, VERY LIMITED. STILL A LITTLE BIT BREEZY TOMORROW MORNING, BUT RATHER THAN THE 50S, WE WOKE UP IN THE 50S OVER THE WEEKEND. NOW WE’RE GOING TO BE IN THE LOW 60S ON THE NORTH SHORE, MID TO UPPER 60S IN THE METRO. A TOUCH MUGGY, BUT THAT BREEZE STILL AT ABOUT 5 TO 10MPH. TOMORROW, ANOTHER MOSTLY SUNNY DAY WITH A HIGH TEMPERATURE IN THE LOW TO MID 80S. BOGALUSA. LOOKS LIKE YOU’LL GET TO THE MID 80S AGAIN TOMORROW. NOW HERE COMES THE CHANGE ON WEDNESDAY. AND GRANTED, IT’S NOT A MAJOR CHANGE, BUT HERE’S A SOUTHERLY WIND. SO THIS MODEL IS ACTUALLY PICKING UP ON 1 OR 2 SHOWERS IN THE MORNING. I THINK THIS MODEL MAY BE A LITTLE AGGRESSIVE, BUT IN THE AFTERNOON A FEW MORE SHOWERS. WE’RE PUTTING A 20% CHANCE FOR SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST ON WEDNESDAY AS WELL AS THURSDAY. IF YOU SEE A SHOWER, COUNT YOURSELF AS ONE OF THE LUCKY ONES AND YOU’LL NOTICE THAT THOSE SHOWERS SHOULD BE VERY, VERY LIGHT AT BEST. SLIGHTLY BETTER CHANCE FOR RAIN THIS WEEKEND. LET’S TRACK THIS COLD FRONT. SATURDAY, 7 A.M. GETTING CLOSER TO US BY 7 P.M. CLOUDS STARTING TO INCREASE JUST A LITTLE BIT. IT DOESN’T LOOK LIKE THIS FRONT IS GOING TO BRING US A LOT OF RAIN IN 24 HOURS AGO, I THOUGHT THE FRONT WAS GOING TO WASH OUT BEFORE IT GOT HERE. NOW IT LOOKS LIKE THE FRONT IS ACTUALLY GOING TO MAKE IT. WE’LL PUT ABOUT A 20 TO 30% CHANCE FOR SHOWERS IN THE FORECAST ON SUNDAY. THIS MODEL REALLY DOESN’T HAVE MUCH SIGNIFICANT RAIN AT ALL, BUT THE FRONT SHOULD MAKE IT THROUGH. SO BY THE BEGINNING OF NEXT WEEK, THINGS GETTING A LITTLE BIT COOLER, A LITTLE BIT DRIER FOR US, A LITTLE LESS HUMID AS WELL. SO YOUR FORECAST FOR THIS EVENING CALLING FOR MAINLY CLEAR SKIES, A LITTLE BIT MUGGY, TEMPERATURES IN THE LOW 60S ON THE NORTH SHORE MID TO UPPER 60S ELSEWHERE. TOMORROW WE’LL DO IT AGAIN A LOT LIKE TODAY. MOSTLY SUNNY, BREEZY AND WARM, 83 TO 86 FOR THE AFTERNOON HIGH. THERE’S THAT 20% CHANCE FOR SHOWERS ONCE WE GET TO WEDNESDAY AND THURSDAY. VERY SPOTTY SHOWERS AT BEST. COLD FRONT SHOULD BE MOVING THROUGH SUNDAY, MAYBE LATE MORNING EARLY AFTERNOON. SO BY LATE SUNDAY AFTERNOON WE’LL NOTICE THE HUMIDITY DROPPING JUST A LITTLE BIT. I THINK THINGS ARE LOOKING GREAT FOR FRENCH QUARTER FEST. JUST BE PREPARED, YOU KNOW, TO GET THOSE $2 DISPOSABLE RAIN PONCHOS PUT IN YOUR BACK POCKET. IF YOU SEE ONE OF THE SHOWERS ON SUNDAY, IT’S NOT GOING TO LAST ALL THAT LONG. AND THEN WE’RE COOLER AND DRIER AND VERY PLEASANT ON MONDAY. A MUCH BETTER CHANCE FOR RAIN IN OUR EXTENDED EXTENDED FORECAST,
Advertisement
Louisiana State Police investigating deadly hit-and-run involving bicyclist
Updated: 9:31 PM CDT Apr 13, 2026
Editorial Standards ⓘ
Advertisement
A Folsom man was killed in a hit-and-run in St. Tammany over the weekend.Louisiana State Police say Rodrigo Ornelas Jr., 24, of Folsom, was riding his bike on Sunday morning around 12:30 a.m. on LA Highway 40 at Blackwell Cemetery Road. At the same time, an unknown dark-colored sedan or small SUV was traveling east on LA Highway 40, struck Ornelas Jr., and left the scene.Police say the area was poorly lit and that he was not wearing a helmet but was dressed in light-colored clothing. Ornelas sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he later died. According to troopers, they have determined that the bicycle was equipped with reflectors but was not equipped with lights. The crash remains under investigation.
FOLSOM, La. —
A Folsom man was killed in a hit-and-run in St. Tammany over the weekend.
Louisiana State Police say Rodrigo Ornelas Jr., 24, of Folsom, was riding his bike on Sunday morning around 12:30 a.m. on LA Highway 40 at Blackwell Cemetery Road.
Advertisement
At the same time, an unknown dark-colored sedan or small SUV was traveling east on LA Highway 40, struck Ornelas Jr., and left the scene.
Police say the area was poorly lit and that he was not wearing a helmet but was dressed in light-colored clothing.
Ornelas sustained serious injuries and was transported to a local hospital for treatment, where he later died.
Advertisement
According to troopers, they have determined that the bicycle was equipped with reflectors but was not equipped with lights.
A Raceland man has been charged with vehicular homicide for a March crash that left a Chauvin man dead.
Aljean Ledet, 58, of Chauvin died, March 25, after Michael Boudreaux, 21, of Raceland, rear-ended him at the intersection of LA 56 and Josie Court, according to a news release by the Louisiana State Police. Ledet was not wearing a seatbelt.
Police gathered toxicology samples from the two men at the time of the incident and later found that Boudreaux’s blood alcohol content was over the legal limit at the time of the crash. Boudreaux has been charged with vehicular homicide, DWI (first offense), reckless operation, no seatbelt and driving under suspension.
Louisiana news: Oil discovery in Gulf near existing platform south of Louisiana coast
Advertisement
Boudreaux turned himself in to Troopers, April 9, 2026, and was booked into the Terrebonne Parish jail.
On March 25, Ledet was traveling north on LA 56 in a 2008 Chevrolet Colorado. At the same time Boudreaux was in a 2006 Pontiac G6 also traveling north, the release said. Boudreaux failed to slow down and struck the rear of Ledet’s Chevrolet.
After the impact, Ledet’s vehicle was sent off the road on the right and overturned. He was unrestrained and sustained fatal injuries.
For three straight weekends prior to this one, No. 10 Southern Miss managed to escape with series wins despite giving its opponents several opportunities to win. After playing with fire for a fourth consecutive weekend, though, the Golden Eagles finally got burned badly, as they lost Sunday’s rubber match and the series to the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns at Russo Park in Lafayette.
The Golden Eagles (25-11, 8-7 Sun Belt) spent much of the weekend walking a tightrope, undone by the same issues that had lingered beneath the surface in recent series. Free passes proved especially costly in Sunday’s finale, including a bases-loaded walk that allowed Louisiana to push its lead to 6-4 in the bottom of the fifth inning. That run proved to be the difference, as the Cajuns ultimately held on to win 6-5.
It’s Gut-Check Time for the Eags
Advertisement
@SouthernMissBSB
Head coach Christian Ostrander, who was ejected in the game in the bottom of the fourth inning for arguing balls and strikes with the umpire, has to be left wondering what has happened to his Golden Eagles team that started the year on fire with a 15-2 record and several wins over high-quality opponents. Southern Miss has gone just 10-9 since that point, despite still remaining fairly high in the national rankings.
Advertisement
With a big midweek game against Ole Miss in Pearl coming up on Tuesday, and a big weekend series at home against a very good Texas State team starting on Friday, it is officially gut-check time for the Golden Eagles. Hosting a regional is still not out of the question for this ballclub, but losing a second Sun Belt series certainly doesn’t help its case.
How the Rubber Match Loss Happened
Advertisement
@SouthernMissBSB
Advertisement
The Golden Eagles had 10 hits on Sunday, with six of those coming from junior shortstop Seth Smith and senior outfielder Joey Urban (three each). Smith connected on his second home run of the year–a solo shot to right field in the top of the sixth to bring Southern Miss within 6-5.
In the top of the ninth, senior second baseman Kyle Morrison got on base from the lead-off spot with a walk, but junior outfielder Davis Gillespie, who had been on fire lately, cooled off in this one and hit into a double play on the very next at-bat. Senior first baseman Matthew Russo got the last chance to tie the game with two outs, but he grounded out to first base to end the game and the series. Overall, the Golden Eagles left nine runners on base.
Junior RHP Thomas Crabtree got the start for the Golden Eagles but only made it 1.2 innings before being replaced by senior LHP Kros Sivley. Sivley lasted one-third of an inning before being replaced by junior RHP Josh Och (L, 3-1), who pitched for 1.1 innings before giving the ball up to sophomore RHP McCarty English for two-thirds of an inning. Altogether, Crabtree, Sivley, Och and English surrendered five hits, six earned runs, six walks, and four hit batters while registering six strikeouts.
Senior RHP JW Armistead and senior RHP Colby Allen, who made his second appearance of the weekend, came in for the final four innings (two each) and gave up zero hits or runs. However, it was a case of too little, too late, as the Golden Eagles were unable to score in the final three frames.
Advertisement
The Sky Isn’t Falling… Yet
Josh House
Advertisement
As bad as things might feel right now for the Golden Eagles, the sky isn’t falling… at least not yet. Although it doesn’t necessarily mean that things will end up going the same way, this year’s ballclub is still out-pacing the 2024 and 2025 teams in the win/loss column. Southern Miss was 22-14 by this point in 2024 and 24-12 in 2025. This team has the talent to turn things up a notch or two; Coach Oz and his staff will just have to find the right buttons to push to make that happen.
Advertisement
Nothing would help wash away the bad taste of an upset series loss to the Ragin’ Cajuns quite like a big midweek win over an in-state rival that is coming off a weekend sweep of LSU. Southern Miss will take on Ole Miss at Trustmark Park on Tuesday at 6 p.m., looking to bounce back from its latest gut-punch. Stay tuned to Southern Miss Golden Eagles On SI for more baseball coverage throughout this coming week.
