Jon StojanThe Mississippi River is one of the most vital shipping routes in the world. Stretching more than 3,700km, it is the main waterway linking the Gulf of Mexico to many states in the US interior, making it indispensable to the American and global economies. The Port of South Louisiana, at the river’s mouth, is the largest port district in the Western Hemisphere, handling over 230 million tons of cargo each year.
Donald F. Rulh, Jr. was born and raised in the New Orleans region, and the Mississippi River has been a huge part of his life. This lifelong association with the river is evident, as he helped found eight companies, all centered on shipping, logistics, and real estate in the region. Most of these companies operate under the umbrella of Coastal Services Group, a full-service domestic and global logistics company located strategically in the Gulf of Mexico.
Donald shares that his family has been in the shipping and logistics business for a long time, and, when he turned six years old, he began accompanying his father traveling up and down the river, helping him deliver various supplies to ships and ports. From his family, he also learned about the back-office side of the industry, including accounting, dispatching, and customer service. Once he became old enough to get a driving license, Donald became a crew van driver, picking up crew along the Mississippi River’s Gulf coast. He would drive them from the airport, through immigration, and bring them to the ships while handling the various paperwork needed.
“While my friends would take up summer jobs as lifeguards at the pools or beaches, I was driving for my family’s business, even sleeping in my van for two nights straight,” Donald says. “Shipping and logistics has always been in my DNA and, looking back, it’s a really crazy industry so I can’t say my childhood was normal. I grew up with a logistical mind, and it sometimes messes with my sleep to this day because I’m always thinking about what will come up next. Shipping and logistics is a 24/7, 365 industry – there’s no holidays.”
Donald also worked as an international shipping agent and vessel manager for Biehl & Company and Barwil Agencies, which previously employed his uncle and his father, respectively. He dabbled in real estate as a licensed realtor and renovator in New Orleans and South Louisiana, and he owns several rental properties in the area.
In 1996, Donald co-founded Ocean Air Services with his father and his uncle. The company handles the management, shipping, receiving, freight forwarding, warehousing, dispatch, and logistical coordination for various cargo and cruise ships when they are in the Port of New Orleans. It also handles US Customs bonded clearance for importing and exporting foreign vessel supplies, including logistics movements with trucking, rail, air, and ocean shipments.
Aside from logistics and shipping, Donald has significant experience in emergency response. Following Hurricane Katrina in 2005, he was an emergency response subcontractor, managing, operating, and supplying multiple debris removal and restoration crews across various parishes in Louisiana.
Donald played a significant role in the response to the BP Macondo Well Oil Spill in 2010, the largest marine oil spill in history. He was the sole/lead project Manager for the BP Macondo Well blowout preventer investigation at NASA’s Michoud facility. He was tasked to lead the building and procurement of all materials and supplies to assist the DNV Forensics Team. This included building a 90’ x 90’ x 60’ structure to house the blowout preventer and the low marine riser package for purposes of the investigation report to the United State Senate and House of Representatives. He worked under strict guidance and security clearance with numerous government agencies, including the Coast Guard, FBI, NASA, and OSHA.
Donald’s experience working during the BP spill led to development of a successful Maritime staffing company, “this company evolved into one of the fastest growing businesses in the US and was even featured in Inc Magazine as such in 2018,” claims Donald.
As an extension of his environmental work, Donald founded Trash Doctors LLC, a specialist waste management agency servicing US- and foreign-flagged vessels to process their APHIS/MARPOL and medical waste.
Outside of his profession, Donald previously volunteered as a life skills coach and trainer for adolescents with mental and physical disabilities and has organized/participated in various donation drives for disaster-stricken and Native American communities. Having played football in high school and rugby in college, Donald plans to devote more of his time to coaching the next generation of youth athletes with his previous successful coaching experience under his belt. He coached many players that would eventually play in the NFL and won multiple district championships and coached in the Louisiana 5A State Championship game. Donald coached under direct tutelage of Coach Nick Saban at LSU and Coach Tommy Tubberville at Auburn University for their five star recruiting camps.
Having lived for most of his life along the Mississippi River and witnessed many huge changes over the years, Donald also plans to write a book depicting his professional and life experiences in the region and shipping industry.
“The Mississippi is one of the greatest rivers in the world and plays a huge part in millions of people’s lives,” Donald says. “My entire life and career have been tied to this river, and I’ve experienced so much and met so many different characters over the decades. I hope to be able to write a book that captures the rich life and industry that is only possible due to this majestic waterway.”