Ingram Barge Co. sued over Plaquemine boating accident – ​​Industry Report 10/12

Three insurance companies – Ascot Insurance Co., Endurance American Insurance Co. and Zurich American Insurance Co. – have filed suit against Ingram Barge Co. over a maritime collision that occurred on July 22, 2023 in Iberville Parish.

For those unfamiliar, “allision” is a nautical term that refers to the collision of a moving vessel with an immovable object. In the incident in question, one or more of Ingram’s vessels collided with a barge called ORBA-1 owned by Kostmayer Construction of Slidell.

According to documents filed in the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Louisiana, ORBA-1 was moored on the Mississippi River near Dow’s Plaquemine facility when one or more vessels broke loose from Ingram and collided with the barge. The incident caused significant damage to the barge, particularly to its wells and well bores.

At that time, Kostmayer had purchased hull and machinery insurance for ORBA-1 through the plaintiffs with a $50,000 deductible. Kostmayer filed a claim and the insurance company paid out $141,797.22.

With the payment, Kostmayer’s rights and claims were transferred to the plaintiffs, meaning that they could follow in Kostmayer’s footsteps and claim damages from all those responsible.

The lawsuit, filed on July 19, alleges that Ingram breached its duty to adequately secure its vessels. The plaintiffs argue that Ingram’s negligence was the direct cause of the vessels breaking loose and subsequently colliding with ORBA-1.

The plaintiffs are seeking at least $191,797.22 – the amount paid under the insurance policy plus the deductible mentioned above – as well as additional damages and legal costs.

Ingram Barge Co., based in Nashville, Tennessee, is a leading marine carrier on America’s inland waterways. The company’s Louisiana offices are located in Port Allen and Reserve.