Beleaguered Bouchard Transportation has settled another lawsuit against it, but the effort to auction one of its barges continues.
According to court papers, New Orleans-based EN Bisso & Sons Tuesday dropped its $816,000 lawsuit against the Long Island tug and barge operator for unpaid bills.
The two companies were said to have been in talks over a settlement since late January.
EN Bisso sued in December after providing tug services to Bouchard over five months in 2019. The two sides had been in settlement talks since late January.
Bouchard had been sued at least 20 times since December, with fuel providers, shipyards and others alleging the family-owned company owed money. Since, 12 of those lawsuits have been settled.
One of the largest, a $1.2m lawsuit from Bollinger Amelia Repair, has not been settled.
The Louisiana shipyard last week moved to sell Bouchard's Barge B No. 240 after the company only partially paid several invoices. In court filings, Bollinger said Bouchard had not adequately responded to the lawsuit and that it should not have to bear the cost of berthing the vessel.
A hearing on the motion will be held 26 February in Corpus Christi federal court.
Bouchard did not immediately return a request for comment.
Last summer, the US Coast Guard revoked several safety documents for Bouchard vessels. In October, the company allegedly sent out a letter telling customers that it was winding down operations and that the company's future was at stake. The letter — which the company maintains was never signed or mailed and was illegally obtained — also blamed the Coast Guard and the American Bureau of Shipping for trying to destroy Bouchard.
The company is also the subject of a lawsuit from its seafarers alleging they have not been paid since the start of the year. The lawsuit is seeking class action status and alleges the company could be as much as $3m behind in payroll.
