Jeffboat Achieves Safety Milestone of Working Two Million Hours Without a Lost Time Injury

JEFFERSONVILLE, IN--(Marketwire - December 21, 2009) - American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) ("ACL" or the "Company") announced today that on December 15, its Manufacturing Division, Jeffboat, accomplished the safety milestone of working two million hours without a lost time injury (an injury requiring time off from work) for the first time in its more than 70 years of operation. The shipyard has reached one million hours worked without a lost time injury twice in its history, most recently in June 2009.

Jeffboat is the nation's largest inland shipbuilder and repair facility and is a leader in safety performance in the shipbuilding industry. While Jeffboat has continually decreased injuries since 2004, it continues to implement new safety programs, including providing additional training to employees and conducting detailed investigations to identify root causes of injuries and implement corrective actions.

"Safety is our priority at Jeffboat and American Commercial Lines, and this is a significant achievement for our people and the company," Jacques Vanier, Vice President of Manufacturing for ACL, stated. "Jeffboat's safety culture is built upon a foundation of employee involvement, accountability, and management commitment. Ultimately, we are striving to eliminate all accidents and injuries."

Jeffboat and Teamsters Local Union No. 89 received the 16th annual Labor-Management Award from the University of Louisville Labor-Management Center in April 2009 for cooperative relations between management and labor with the goal of improving safety, production, employee performance, efficiency, and cost effectiveness for optimal performance.

American Commercial Lines Inc., headquartered in Jeffersonville, Indiana, is an integrated marine transportation and service company operating in the United States Jones Act trades, with approximately $1.2 billion in revenues and approximately 3,400 employees as of December 31, 2008. For more information about American Commercial Lines Inc. visit www.aclines.com.

Contact Information: Contact: David T. Parker Vice President, Investor Relations and Corporate Communications (800) 842-5491