US files $100 million lawsuit for destruction of Baltimore bridge
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 vessel collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, resulting in significant disruptions to maritime traffic for several months.
The United States Department of Justice has initiated a federal civil lawsuit against the Singapore-based companies behind the cargo ship that caused extensive damage to a bridge near Baltimore earlier this year, leading to the closure of one of the nation's largest ports for an extended period.
The container ship MV Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, resulting in the deaths of six road workers and the destruction of a crucial highway artery that had been in operation since 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 lawsuit targets Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, both headquartered in Singapore, as the owners and operators of the Dali. Following the incident, these companies attempted to limit their liability to approximately $44 million. However, the federal government seeks at least $100 million in damages, including punitive measures.
The government aims to recover expenses related to the removal of bridge debris, the reopening of shipping channels, and addressing the “substantial risk of oil pollution.” Various federal, state, and local agencies needed to remove around 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt, and create “a series of temporary channels to start relieving the bottleneck at the port and mitigate some of the economic devastation” resulting from the incident. The Fort McHenry Channel remained partially 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 alleges that after departing from the Port of Baltimore, the Dali experienced power failures, which contributed to the collision with the bridge. Benjamin Mizer, principal deputy attorney general, claimed that the owner and operator were aware of “vibration issues” that could lead to a power outage yet failed to take corrective actions.
“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 noted.
Consequently, the ship's propeller, rudder, anchor, and bow thruster could not navigate the vessel as required.
The federal claim does not include financial provisions for rebuilding the bridge, as it was constructed, owned, maintained, and operated by Maryland; thus, the state must pursue its own claims.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
The United States Department of Justice has initiated a federal civil lawsuit against the Singapore-based companies behind the cargo ship that caused extensive damage to a bridge near Baltimore earlier this year, leading to the closure of one of the nation's largest ports for an extended period.
The container ship MV Dali collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, resulting in the deaths of six road workers and the destruction of a crucial highway artery that had been in operation since 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 lawsuit targets Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, both headquartered in Singapore, as the owners and operators of the Dali. Following the incident, these companies attempted to limit their liability to approximately $44 million. However, the federal government seeks at least $100 million in damages, including punitive measures.
The government aims to recover expenses related to the removal of bridge debris, the reopening of shipping channels, and addressing the “substantial risk of oil pollution.” Various federal, state, and local agencies needed to remove around 50,000 tons of steel, concrete, and asphalt, and create “a series of temporary channels to start relieving the bottleneck at the port and mitigate some of the economic devastation” resulting from the incident. The Fort McHenry Channel remained partially 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 alleges that after departing from the Port of Baltimore, the Dali experienced power failures, which contributed to the collision with the bridge. Benjamin Mizer, principal deputy attorney general, claimed that the owner and operator were aware of “vibration issues” that could lead to a power outage yet failed to take corrective actions.
“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 noted.
Consequently, the ship's propeller, rudder, anchor, and bow thruster could not navigate the vessel as required.
The federal claim does not include financial provisions for rebuilding the bridge, as it was constructed, owned, maintained, and operated by Maryland; thus, the state must pursue its own claims.
Sanya Singh contributed to this report for TROIB News
