U.S. files $100M claim against Dali owner and operator

Key Bridge Response 2024 Unified Command photo by Coast Guard Petty Officer First Class Lauren Steenson

The U.S. Department of Justice Department today filed a claim against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pvte., the owner and operator, respectively, of the Dali, the containership that struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on March 26, initiating its collapse and causing the deaths of six workers.

In addition to claiming over $100 million in costs incurred in response to the fatal disaster and in restoring the Baltimore federal navigation channel, the United States is also seeking an unspecified amount in punitive damages.

“The Justice Department is committed to ensuring accountability for those responsible for the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic deaths of six people and disrupted our country’s transportation and defense infrastructure,” said Attorney General Merrick B. Garland. “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.”

The claim has been filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in response to the petition filed by Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited seeking exoneration, or limitation of their liability in the incident to approximately $44 million.

“The owner and operator of the Dali were well aware of vibration issues on the vessel that could cause a power outage. But instead of taking necessary precautions, they did the opposite,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer. “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. As a result, when the Dali lost power, a cascading set of failures led to disaster.”

The lawsuit specifically asserts that none of the four means that should have been available to help steer the Dali — the propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster — worked when they were needed to avert or even mitigate this disaster.

Readers who have been following our coverage of what the NTSB has thus far said about its investigation of the matter will find that the Department of Justice gets into very specific details in the claim filed today (see below).

“Wholly preventable failures by the owner and operator of the Dali caused this tragic incident that cost six bridge construction workers their lives and closed one of the largest ports on the East Coast,” said Rear Admiral Laura M. Dickey, Deputy for Operations Capability and Policy at the U.S. Coast Guard. “The Coast Guard quickly responded by establishing a Unified Command with federal, state, and local stakeholders to rapidly open alternative channels and restore the Port of Baltimore to full operations in just over two months. We stand ready to support the Justice Department to ensure that those responsible for this tragedy pay the costs of reopening the port.”

The claim on behalf of the United States does not include any damages for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The State of Maryland built, owned, maintained, and operated the bridge, and attorneys on the state’s behalf may file their own claim for those damages. Subsequently, pursuant to the governing regulation, funds recovered by the State of Maryland for reconstruction of the bridge will be used to reduce the project costs paid by federal taxpayer dollars.

The City of Baltimore has already filed a claim in the case, as have the families of three of the six workers who lost their lives in the bridge collapse

Read the complaint filed by the Department of Justice: