Dali Ship Owner Agrees To Pay $100 Million In Lawsuit Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

MV Dali — Image Credits: USACE Baltimore/X

A $101.9 million settlement has been made between the U.S. government, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the ship’s owner and operator involved in the lawsuit regarding the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse.

The settlement announced by the Justice Department will cover federal costs incurred in restoring navigation and transport routes to the Port of Baltimore, which was severely impacted by the bridge’s destruction earlier this year.

The settlement resolves claims for over $103 million made by the United States under the general maritime law, the Oil Pollution Act, and the Rivers and Harbors Act.

The payment will benefit the U.S. Treasury and several federal agencies that responded to the crisis, which blocked access to the port of Baltimore for weeks.

A federal representative said that the funds obtained by the Justice Department attorneys ensure that federal costs will be covered by the responsible parties rather than the American taxpayers.

The tragic incident occurred on March 26, 2024, when the container ship MV Dali, departing Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka, experienced multiple power outages while traversing the Fort McHenry Channel.

The power outages caused the vessel to collide with the support columns of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which then collapsed into the channel.

The accident took the lives of people working on the bridge, and the wreckage blocked the channel, halting shipping operations at the Port of Baltimore.

The collapse also destroyed a major transportation route for local commuters and disrupted a critical highway in the area.

The United States led a coordinated response involving federal, state and local authorities working to clear nearly 50,000 tons of debris from the bridge and the ship.

Temporary channels were established to reduce the economic impact on the Port of Baltimore, which resumed operations on June 10.

Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton said the settlement cost compensates the government for its response expenses and avoids an extended legal battle.

The U.S. government filed its claim on September 18, seeking damages over $100 million, while Grace Ocean and Synergy have previously tried to limit their liability to around $43.7 million.

Grace Ocean has also paid $97,294 separately to the Coast Guard National Pollution Fund Center to cover oil pollution response costs linked to the incident.

The settlement does not address the cost of rebuilding the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which is the responsibility of the State of Maryland.

Maryland attorneys are filing a separate claim to fund the bridge’s reconstruction and offset the initial project costs paid by federal taxpayers.

Reference: U.S Department of Justice

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