POWER OF ATTORNEY

     The undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of Larry M. Cuculic
and Tamra L. Koshewa, signing singly, as his true and lawful attorneys-in-fact
to:

     1.   execute for and on behalf of the undersigned Forms 3, 4 and 5 in
          accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934,
          as amended (the "Exchange Act"), and the rules thereunder, with
          respect to securities of American Commercial Lines Inc.;

     2.   do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the undersigned
          which may be necessary or desirable to complete the execution of any
          such Form 3, 4 or 5 and the timely filing of such form with the United
          States Securities and Exchange Commission (the "SEC") and any other
          authority or entity; and

     3.   take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the
          foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of
          benefit to, in the best interest of, or legally required of, the
          undersigned, it being understood that the documents executed by such
          attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power
          of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such terms and
          conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in his discretion.

     The undersigned hereby grants to such attorney-in-fact full power and
authority to do and perform each and every act and thing whatsoever requisite,
necessary and proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers
herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the undersigned might or
could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation,
hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or his
substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by virtue of
this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The undersigned
acknowledges that the foregoing attorney-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at
the request of the undersigned, is not assuming any of the undersigned's
responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Exchange Act.

     This Power of Attorney shall be effective on the date set forth below and
shall continue in full force and effect until the date on which the undersigned
shall cease to be subject to Section 16 of the Exchange Act and the rules
thereunder or until such earlier date on which written notification executed by
the undersigned is filed with the SEC expressly revoking this Power of Attorney.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, the undersigned has caused this Power of Attorney to be
executed on this 7th of August, 2006.


                                             /s/ Rich Mitchell
                                             -----------------------
                                             Rich Mitchell