A Louisiana federal court has officially dismissed a $4.6 million dispute involving Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co., Michelin North America Inc., and their insurers over water-damaged rubber shipments, after the parties reached a full settlement with CEVA Logistics companies and a New Orleans port operator.
The U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana issued the dismissal with prejudice on Thursday, finalizing the resolution of the case. This followed an earlier dismissal without prejudice in July, which had given the parties 60 days to complete the settlement. After seeking deadline extensions in September, the parties jointly moved for permanent dismissal on Wednesday.
“It is the undersigned parties’ intent by this joint motion to dismiss all remaining claims in this litigation with prejudice, pursuant to compromise,” the filing stated.
The dispute, filed in November 2022 and amended in September 2023, centered on claims that Goodyear and Michelin received more than 120,000 bales of rubber in a “wet and water-damaged condition” after shipment from Southeast Asia to New Orleans in 2021. Goodyear had contracted CEVA Logistics to transport over 108,000 bales, while Michelin shipped more than 15,000.
Goodyear alleged its total damages exceeded $4.2 million, with a “total adjusted loss” of more than $3.6 million after factoring in sales of damaged rubber and mitigation expenses covered by Navigators Insurance Co. Michelin similarly reported losses exceeding $950,000 after partial recovery, with insurance coverage from HDI Group.
The defendants—CEVA Logistics and Coastal Cargo Co. LLC, the New Orleans port operator—each denied responsibility for the water damage, filing cross-claims to shift potential liability. The joint dismissal confirmed that the remaining claims pertained specifically to Goodyear’s and Navigators’ losses.
Counsel for the plaintiffs declined to comment on the settlement. Representatives for the defendants did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Goodyear, Michelin, and their insurers were represented by Christopher E. Carey and David L. Carrigee of Pugh Accardo LLC, along with G. Geoffrey Robb and Michelle L. Tommey of Gibson Robb & Lindh LLP.
The CEVA Logistics entities were represented by Andrew R. Spector and Spencer J. Wellborn of Spector Rubin PA, and Frederick W. Swaim III and Brendan N. Hughes of Galloway Johnson Tompkins Burr & Smith.
Coastal Cargo was represented by Peter B. Sloss and Brittney I. Esie of Murphy Rogers Sloss Gambel & Tompkins.
The case is Goodyear Tire and Rubber Co. et al. v. CEVA Logistics Singapore PTE LTD et al., Case No. 2:22-cv-04561, in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana.
