Maryland Sues Ship Owner, Operator Over Collapse of Baltimore Bridge

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.

Grace Ocean Private Limited, which is the owner of the Dali, and operator Synergy Marine Pte Ltd are listed as defendants.

The state argues that, as a result of companies’ decision to send the Dali out in a “patently unseaworthy condition,” Maryland has suffered and will continue to suffer tremendous costs and damage.

The 56-page complaint seeks punitive damages and compensation for the defendants’ “reckless conduct, negligence, mismanagement, and incompetency” and aims to “deny the petitioners’ effort to limit their liability” while holding the companies responsible for their “conduct, negligence, mismanagement, and incompetency.”

Before the incident, the Francis Scott Key Bridge was in “excellent condition” and was an “incredibly valuable asset” of the state, the lawsuit states.

“This disaster was entirely preventable had the DALI’s owners and operators exercised proper care and diligence,” the state argued in the lawsuit.

Legal representatives for Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. have not responded to a request for comment at the time of publishing.

In response to a separate lawsuit filed by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) last week, a Grace Ocean spokesperson told media outlets that the company looks forward to its day in court “to set the record straight.”

The 984-foot-long, 95,000-ton Dali departed from Seagirt Marine Terminal in the Port of Baltimore at 12.39 a.m. local time on March 26—the day of the crash—en route to Sri Lanka, according to federal safety officials.

Shortly after leaving, the ship crashed into one of the supporting columns of the 47-year-old, 1.6-mile Francis Scott Key Bridge, killing six construction workers who were filling potholes on the bridge at the time.

Investigators with the National Transportation Safety Board later said the cargo ship experienced two electrical power failures before it departed, causing the ship to lose propulsion and steering abilities.

The investigation into the incident is ongoing.

Maryland claims in its lawsuit that the ship’s owner and operator failed to diagnose or correct these electrical system failures, which it said were caused by long-standing defects.

‘Maryland’s Economy Has Been Disrupted’

The power failures were also not reported to the U.S. Coast Guard, as required by law, the lawsuit states.

Similarly, the failures were not divulged to the two local pilots from the Association of Maryland Pilots who boarded the Dali to guide its departure from the Port of Baltimore, which was also required by law, according to the lawsuit.

“In fact, the Dali’s master falsely reported to the pilots that everything was in good working order,” the suit states.

Maryland is seeking punitive damages and asking the court to award damages to the state for the replacement of the bridge and all costs associated with its emergency response and clean-up efforts, as well as lost revenues and other economic losses due to the destruction of the bridge.

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore and the Maryland Transportation Authority have estimated that it will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion to rebuild the bridge.

In a statement announcing the lawsuit, Attorney General Wes Brown said Marylanders have had to shoulder the costs and burden caused by the “misconduct” of Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine for the past six months and will continue to do so for the “foreseeable future.”

“We have grieved the loss of six lives and mourned alongside their families,” Brown said. “We have endured increased traffic and altered work commutes, degrading even the quality of the air we breathe. Our state has lost valuable tax and toll revenues, and Maryland’s economy has been disrupted.”

Brown promised to rebuild the bridge but said Marylanders should not have to pay for the Dali owner’s and manager’s “negligence and incompetence.”

The legal challenge comes shortly after the DOJ also filed a lawsuit against Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine over the March incident.

Cargo ship Dali under part of the structure of the Francis Scott Key Bridge after it hit the bridge in Baltimore, on March 26, 2024. Maryland National Guard via AP

That lawsuit seeks to recoup the more than $100 million in losses the department says it incurred while clearing the wreck and bridge debris from the Port of Baltimore’s waters following the incident.

According to the DOJ’s suit, the incident was an “avoidable tragedy” that continues to adversely affect the Baltimore region.

Grace Ocean and Synergy filed a court petition days after the collapse seeking to limit their legal liability for the incident.

“Maryland is asking the court to deny this request and hold Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine fully accountable for their negligence, mismanagement, and incompetence,” a Sept. 24 statement from Moore’s office said.