fbpx
Consumer Law

American Commercial Barge Line Agreed to a $6.5 Million Settlement for Oil Discharge After a Mississippi River Collision

Indiana-based American Commercial Barge Line has agreed to pay $6.5 million and acquire land for preservation as part of a proposed settlement with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in compensation for damages caused by a 2008 collision on the Mississippi River. The United States and Louisiana concurrently filed a civil complaint in the Eastern District of Louisiana with a proposed consent decree to bring a close to the long-running case.

In July of 2008, the tug Mel Oliver, which was pushing a barge upriver, veered directly in front of the MV Tintomara, a 46,700 dwt ocean-going 600-foot tanker registered in Liberia that was ship sailing downriver. The vessels collided causing the barge to split in to and discharge approximately 6,734 barrels (282,828 gallons) of No. 6 fuel oil into the Mississippi River upriver of New Orleans. The river was closed from north of New Orleans to Southwest Pass Sea Buoy from July 23 until July 29, 2008. American Commercial, the Coast Guard, and the State were involved in extensive response and cleanup efforts.

Read the source article at The Maritime Executive

Leave a Review or Comment

Back to top button