Baltimore Seeks Full Liability from Ship Owner and Manager in Deadly Bridge Collapse
Baltimore city officials have filed a petition holding the owner and manager of the Dali container ship responsible for the deadly collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The ship, owned by Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and managed by Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., struck a bridge support column on March 26, causing the span’s collapse and the deaths of six roadwork crew members.
In a petition filed Monday, attorneys for the city accused the companies of negligence, arguing they should have realized the Dali was unfit for its voyage and manned the ship with a competent crew, among other issues.
A spokesperson for the companies said Monday that it would be inappropriate to comment on the pending litigation.
The city’s complaint argues that cargo ships have made thousands of trips under the Key Bridge without incident for over four decades, and that there was nothing about March 26 that should have changed that.
The FBI boarded the stalled ship last week as part of a criminal investigation, while the National Transportation Safety Board is conducting a separate federal probe into whether the ship experienced power issues before starting its voyage.
Grace Ocean and Synergy had previously sought to cap their liability at roughly $43.6 million, but Baltimore leaders argue the companies should be held responsible for their role in the disaster, which has halted most maritime traffic through the Port of Baltimore and disrupted an important east coast trucking route.
The economic impacts could be devastating for the Baltimore region, the filing says. Attorneys representing victims of the collapse and their families have also pledged to hold the companies accountable and oppose their request for limited liability.
In the meantime, salvage crews are working to remove thousands of tons of collapsed steel and concrete from the Patapsco River. They’ve opened three temporary channels to allow some vessels to pass through the area, but the port’s main shipping channel is expected to remain closed for several more weeks.
