American Commercial Lines Inc. Announces Approval of Accelerated United States Coast Guard-Approved Training Program

JEFFERSONVILLE, Ind., Dec. 13 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- American Commercial Lines Inc. (NASDAQ: ACLI) ("ACL" or the "Company") announced today that it has received United States Coast Guard approval of the nation's first inland river accelerated pilot license training program in partnership with Northeast Maritime Institute of Fairhaven, Massachusetts.

On November 15, 2007 the United States Coast Guard approved a new Mate (Pilot) training program. This program can shorten the total time of license eligibility for Mate (the second and final stage in the licensing process of a professional mariner) by approximately 50%. The program includes classroom, simulator and sea time. The end result will be that a person who is new to the industry can achieve the rank of Full Mate in approximately 30-36 months, as opposed to the current five to six year licensing period.

Michael J. Monahan, Senior Vice President, Transportation Services commented, "We are pleased that our Pre-Steersman training program was approved by the United States Coast Guard. ACL, in conjunction with Northeast Maritime Institute, has developed an innovative training program that will enable us to attract new employees and fast-track their advancement as they become future leaders on our boats. This represents the first time an inland marine transportation company has implemented an approved program for its vessel officers in conjunction with a national maritime institute. We believe this is further evidence that our safety and training programs are unmatched in the industry, and ultimately demonstrates our commitment to establishing a leadership position in the transportation industry for our employees and customers."

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 $940 million in annual revenues and approximately 2,750 employees as of December 31, 2006. For more information about American Commercial Lines Inc. generally, visit www.aclines.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This release includes certain "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management's present expectations and beliefs about future events. As with any projection or forecast, these statements are inherently susceptible to risks, uncertainty and changes in circumstance. Important factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements and should be considered in evaluating the outlook of American Commercial Lines Inc. Risks and uncertainties are detailed from time to time in American Commercial Lines Inc.'s filings with the SEC, including the Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2006. American Commercial Lines Inc. is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims any obligation to, update or alter its forward-looking statements, whether as a result of changes, new information, subsequent events or otherwise.