Maryland Sues Ship Owner, Operator Over Collapse of Baltimore Bridge

Marylanders should not have to pay for ‘negligence and incompetence,’ Gov. Wes Moore said.

A Maryland Transportation Authority patrol boat makes a pass close to where crews prepare to conduct a controlled demolition of a section of the Francis Scott Key Bridge resting on the Dali container ship in Baltimore, on May 13, 2024. Roberto Schmidt/AFP via Getty Images

The state of Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Dali cargo ship that veered into Baltimore’s iconic Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, causing the bridge to collapse and resulting in six deaths.

The resulting wreckage fell into the Patapsco River, blocked access to most of the Port of Baltimore, and caused “massive damages and other significant harm to the State of Maryland and its citizens that will continue for many years,” according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland on Sept. 24.