U.S. Coal Company Sues Dali Ship Owner For $100 Million Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

MV Dali — Image Credits: USACE Baltimore/X

Consol Energy, a leading U.S. coal company, filed a lawsuit against Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Group, the owner and manager of the Singapore-flagged container ship Dali, claiming over $100 million in damages.

The case, filed in federal court in Maryland, accuses the shipowners of negligence in connection with the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year.

The Dali struck one of the bridge columns on March 26, 2024, causing major structural damage and necessitating the shutdown of Consol’s Marine Terminal (CMT) in Baltimore for about two months.

The coal company claims that the shutdown significantly impacted its operations and that losses continue to pile up due to the disruption.

Consol Energy, a coal export terminal in Baltimore, claimed that the bridge collapse caused severe economic losses by limiting its ability to ship coal to international markets.

In court filings, the company said that CMT handles 65%-70% of its export coal, making the terminal’s closure a major blow to its operations.

Consol’s second-quarter financial report revealed that throughput volumes at CMT decreased by 57%, to 2.3 million tons, compared to the same period in 2023.

Net income and adjusted earnings fell sharply, from $21.1 million and $23.9 million in 2023 to $2.3 million and $5.2 million, respectively, for the same period in 2024.

Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, the companies responsible for the Dali, had filed for liability insurance shortly after the accident. They attempted to limit their liability to $43.7 million under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851.

However, Consol Energy, along with others impacted by the incident, claim that the shipowners’ negligence denies this limitation.

Consol’s court statement claims that the company has experienced significant damages, including lost profits, revenue, and business, all of which are directly related to the bridge collapse.

The company also claimed that these losses were predictable due to what it described as “intentional and reckless conduct” by the shipowners and managers.

The lawsuit adds to the growing list of claims against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine.

Reference: FreightWaves

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