Exxon Co USA and Ors v Sofec Inc and Ors (The “Exxon Houston”) - US Court of Appeals (9th Circuit) - 10 June 1996

Vessel ran aground after breaking loose from mooring - Shipowners alleging that vessel broke loose because of negligence and breach of warranty on part of various third parties - Lower court holding that Master’s negligent conduct after the breaking loose constituted the superseding and sole proximate cause of the loss of the vessel - Whether doctrines of proximate causation and superseding cause applicable in admiralty

The tanker Exxon Houston stranded several hours after it had broken away from a Single Point Mooring System (SPM) owned by several affiliate corporations (HIRI) and manufactured by respondent Sofec Inc. The vessel had been engaged in delivering oil into HIRI’s pipeline through two floating hoses pursuant to a contract between Exxon (the owners of the vessel) and respondent Pacific Resources Inc (PRI), when a heavy storm broke the chafe chain linking the vessel to the SPM. As the vessel drifted, the oil hoses broke away from the SPM. The parting of the last hose, at 1728 hours, was referred to as “the breakout”.