The US Department of Justice has filed a civil lawsuit in the District Court of Maryland seeking more than $100 million from Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singaporean companies linked to container ship DALI that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March before it collapsed.
“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,” Attorney General Merrick B. Garland stated.
“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 US government led a large-scale response involving federal, state, and local agencies to remove around 50,000 tons of debris, including steel, concrete, and asphalt, from the channel and the ship. Temporary channels were cleared to alleviate the bottleneck at the port before the full restoration of the Fort McHenry Channel on June 10.
“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,” declared Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer.
The lawsuit outlines how none of the ship’s steering mechanisms, including the propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster, were functional during the critical moments when they could have mitigated or prevented the crash.
Meanwhile, the DOJ is also seeking punitive damages.
“This accident happened because of the careless and grossly negligent decisions made by Grace Ocean and Synergy, who recklessly chose to send an unseaworthy vessel to navigate a critical waterway and ignored the risks to American lives and the nation’s infrastructure,” asserted Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Chetan Patil.
This legal action follows a separate suit filed by Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine seeking to limit their liability to around $44 million.
Notably, as the federal claim does not address the reconstruction costs of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, Maryland state officials may file corresponding actions to recover those expenses.
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