DOJ Sues Dali Owners for $103 Million Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse
The U.S. Department of Justice is pointing the finger at the owner and operator of the Dali container ship that caused the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, which resulted in the death of six people and blocked access to the city’s port for two months.
In a civil claim filed in a Maryland federal court, the DOJ seeks to recover $103 million in losses and damages from owner Grace Ocean Private Limited and operator Synergy Marine Private Limited. The damages would cover the costs incurred by the U.S. in responding to the disaster and clearing the wreck and bridge debris from the navigable channel to reopen the Port of Baltimore.
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“This tragedy was entirely avoidable,” the 50-page complaint read. The suit comes five months after Baltimore mayor Brandon Scott and the city’s council filed its own similar complaint alleging criminal negligence in the accident.
The electrical and mechanical systems on the 985-foot Dali, the vessel that crashed into the Key Bridge, were improperly maintained and configured in a way that violated safety regulations and norms for international shipping, according to the DOJ. These problems precipitated a power loss and then a series of failures that culminated in the allision.
As a result, none of the four means available to help control the Dali—the Maersk-chartered ship’s propeller, rudder, anchor or bow thruster—worked when they were needed to avoid or even lessen the impacts of the incident.
“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic deaths of six people and disrupted our country’s transportation and defense infrastructure,” said U.S. Attorney General Merrick Garland in a statement. “With this civil claim, the Justice Department is working to ensure that the costs of clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore are borne by the companies that caused the crash, not by the American taxpayer.”
Principal deputy associate attorney general Benjamin Mizer blasted both Grace Ocean and Synergy, saying that they were both “well aware” of the vibration issues on the ship that could cause a power outage.
“But instead of taking necessary precautions, they did the opposite,” said Mizer. “Out of negligence, mismanagement, and, at times, a desire to cut costs, they configured the ship’s electrical and mechanical systems in a way that prevented those systems from being able to quickly restore propulsion and steering after a power outage.”
Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a court petition soon after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability—a routine procedure for cases litigated under U.S. maritime law. Their joint filing seeks to cap the companies’ liability at roughly $43.7 million.
The DOJ commented on that petition, rebutting that both companies “sent an ill-prepared crew on an abjectly unseaworthy vessel to navigate the United States’ waterways. They did so to reap the benefit of conducting business in American ports. Yet they cut corners in ways that risked lives and infrastructure.”
Grace Ocean and Synergy must be held fully accountable for the harm stemming from the incident, the DOJ implored. The department also asserts that punitive damages should be imposed to deter such misconduct.
The U.S. led the response efforts of dozens of federal, state, and local agencies to remove about 50,000 tons of steel, concrete and asphalt from the channel and from the Dali itself. However, the claim on behalf of the U.S. does not include any damages for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which is expected to be complete by fall 2028.
The State of Maryland built, owned, maintained, and operated the bridge, and attorneys on the state’s behalf also may file their own claim for those damages. Funds recovered by the state for reconstruction of the bridge will be used to reduce the project costs paid by federal taxpayer dollars.
Lawyers for three of the families who lost loved ones in the bridge’s collapse are also suing the Grace Ocean and Synergy for personal injuries.
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