US files $100 million lawsuit following Baltimore bridge collapse
The US is pursuing $100 million in damages, along with penalties, from the owners of the vessel that collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. Read Full Article at RT.com.
TroibNews 
A merchant ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, causing significant disruption to maritime traffic for months.
The US Department of Justice has initiated a federal civil lawsuit against the Singapore-based companies responsible for the cargo ship that destroyed the bridge near Baltimore earlier this year, temporarily shutting down one of the largest ports in the country.
On the evening of March 26, the container ship MV Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the deaths of six road workers and the collapse of the critical highway structure, which was constructed in 1977.
“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,” stated Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday.
The DOJ is taking legal action against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the companies based in Singapore that owned and operated the Dali. Following the incident, the companies sought to limit their financial liability to roughly $44 million, while the US government is pursuing at least $100 million, in addition to punitive damages.
The government's goal is to recover expenses related to the removal of bridge debris, the reopening of shipping channels, and addressing the “substantial risk of oil pollution.” Federal, state, and local agencies had to clear approximately 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt while creating “a series of temporary channels to start relieving the bottleneck at the port and mitigate some of the economic devastation” caused by the accident. The Fort McHenry Channel remained closed until June 10.
“This was an entirely avoidable catastrophe, resulting from a series of eminently foreseeable errors made by the owner and operator of the Dali,” remarked Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton.
The DOJ claims that after departing from the Port of Baltimore, the Dali experienced multiple power failures before colliding with the bridge. Benjamin Mizer, the principal deputy attorney general, alleged that the ship’s owner and operator were aware that “vibration issues” could lead to power outages yet failed to take any corrective action.
“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,” Mizer explained.
Consequently, the Dali’s propeller, rudder, anchor, and bow thruster were rendered ineffective when steering was most crucial.
The US claim does not cover the costs associated with rebuilding the bridge, as that responsibility lies with the state of Maryland, which constructed, owns, maintains, and operates the bridge, and will need to file its own claim.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
The US Department of Justice has initiated a federal civil lawsuit against the Singapore-based companies responsible for the cargo ship that destroyed the bridge near Baltimore earlier this year, temporarily shutting down one of the largest ports in the country.
On the evening of March 26, the container ship MV Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the deaths of six road workers and the collapse of the critical highway structure, which was constructed in 1977.
“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,” stated Attorney General Merrick Garland on Wednesday.
The DOJ is taking legal action against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the companies based in Singapore that owned and operated the Dali. Following the incident, the companies sought to limit their financial liability to roughly $44 million, while the US government is pursuing at least $100 million, in addition to punitive damages.
The government's goal is to recover expenses related to the removal of bridge debris, the reopening of shipping channels, and addressing the “substantial risk of oil pollution.” Federal, state, and local agencies had to clear approximately 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt while creating “a series of temporary channels to start relieving the bottleneck at the port and mitigate some of the economic devastation” caused by the accident. The Fort McHenry Channel remained closed until June 10.
“This was an entirely avoidable catastrophe, resulting from a series of eminently foreseeable errors made by the owner and operator of the Dali,” remarked Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian Boynton.
The DOJ claims that after departing from the Port of Baltimore, the Dali experienced multiple power failures before colliding with the bridge. Benjamin Mizer, the principal deputy attorney general, alleged that the ship’s owner and operator were aware that “vibration issues” could lead to power outages yet failed to take any corrective action.
“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,” Mizer explained.
Consequently, the Dali’s propeller, rudder, anchor, and bow thruster were rendered ineffective when steering was most crucial.
The US claim does not cover the costs associated with rebuilding the bridge, as that responsibility lies with the state of Maryland, which constructed, owns, maintains, and operates the bridge, and will need to file its own claim.
Emily Johnson contributed to this report for TROIB News
