Maryland Sues Cargo Ship Owner and Operator Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Reports Reuters

By David Shepardson

The state of Maryland has initiated civil claims against the owner and operator of the cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, resulting in the deaths of six individuals and disrupting a vital transportation route for the U.S. Northeast.

The lawsuit, filed on Tuesday, targets two Singaporean companies: Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, which is the registered owner of the Dali cargo ship, and its management firm, Synergy Marine Group. Maryland is seeking damages related to the repair of the bridge, cleanup operations, environmental impacts, and additional costs. Officials assert that the incident was "entirely preventable" and brought about "massive damages and other significant harm to the state of Maryland and its citizens that will persist for many years."

Recently, the U.S. Justice Department submitted its own civil claim demanding $103 million from the two companies to recover costs associated with clearing the wreckage of the Dali and debris from the bridge in the Port of Baltimore. This effort was critical for the waterway to reopen in June.

Both Maryland and the Justice Department are pursuing unspecified punitive damages, accusing the companies of negligence.

In May, the National Transportation Safety Board indicated that the Dali experienced multiple instances of electrical power loss prior to the crash into the bridge over the Patapsco River. Additionally, the FBI has launched a criminal investigation into the incident.

A representative for the owner and operator declined to comment on the validity of the claims at this time.

Further claims have been filed on behalf of the six deceased workers and Brawner Builders, the construction company that employed them.

On April 1, Grace Ocean and Synergy submitted a petition in federal court in Maryland to limit their liability from the accident to the current value of the ship and its cargo, which they estimated to exceed $43 million, as stated in their petition.