Mississippi Department of Transportation v. Signal International, LLC

KING, Circuit Judge:

During Hurricane Katrina, two vessels owned by Signal International, LLC broke from their moorings on the Pascagoula River, Mississippi, and allided with and damaged a bridge of Interstate 10 approximately five miles away. Thereafter, Signal International brought this petition seeking exoneration from or limitation of liability for the allision. The Mississippi Department of Transportation, which had repaired the bridge, opposed the petition. The district court held that Signal International was not entitled to exoneration from but was entitled to limitation of its…