Justice Department Files $100 Million Lawsuit Against Dali Shipowner

WASHINGTON — The Justice Department has initiated a lawsuit seeking $100 million against the owner of the Dali container ship. This ship was involved in a tragic incident in March that led to the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge, resulting in the deaths of six individuals.

Following the collapse on March 26, over 50 federal and state agencies collaborated to clear the remnants of the bridge and restore access to the Fort McHenry Shipping Channel by June. The federal government incurred expenses amounting to $100 million during these recovery efforts, and officials specified that punitive damages will be sought from both the owner and operator of the Dali, identified as Grace Ocean and Synergy.

Chetan Patil, who serves as the acting deputy assistant attorney general of the civil division’s torts branch, expressed the seriousness of the situation. He stated, “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 ignore the risks to American lives and the nation’s infrastructure.”

In conjunction with the federal lawsuit, the state of Maryland may also pursue financial compensation from the shipowner to facilitate the bridge’s reconstruction, which is projected to cost billions of dollars.

Benjamin Mizer, the principal deputy associate attorney general, emphasized the dangerous practices of the Dali’s operators. He alleged they cut essential corners which jeopardized lives and the economy. Even when aware of significant vibrations that could lead to catastrophic power failures on board, they proceeded without making the necessary adjustments.

“The whole country watched the horrifying video footage showing the bridge collapse and plunge into the water below,” Mizer commented. “Six construction workers tragically lost their lives when the bridge collapsed. Our hearts go out to their families and loved ones for this senseless and wholly preventable loss of life.”

On the day of the incident, the Dali collided with a bridge support while departing from Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka. This collision caused a portion of Interstate 695 to fall into the Patapsco River. At the time, eight workers were performing maintenance on the bridge, and tragically, six lost their lives due to the collapse, which also disrupted access to the port of Baltimore.

Video evidence from the event shows the Dali hitting the bridge after seemingly losing power on two separate occasions.

Patil revealed that the ship suffered a power loss due to tripped circuit breakers in a transformer located in the engine room. These failures were attributed to ongoing excessive vibrations, which had been a persistent issue aboard the vessel.

Although the power supply should have swiftly transitioned to another operational transformer, this process was hindered by the alleged “reckless disabling” of the ship’s automation system. Additionally, the ship’s emergency generator failed to perform as required. Due to questionable adjustments made to the onboard equipment, a temporary fuel pump could not restart after the power failure. Consequently, the ship was rendered unable to steer.

Patil firmly concluded, “It is clear that this accident was completely avoidable. The electrical and mechanical systems on the Dali were improperly configured and maintained in violation of safety regulations.”

Three months post-collapse, the Fort McHenry Federal Channel was finally restored to its original operational depth. It was reinstated to its standard dimensions of 700 feet wide and 50 feet deep, following the removal of 50,000 tons of bridge debris from the river, as announced by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in June.

State officials have estimated that rebuilding the bridge will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion, with completion anticipated by fall 2028.

Source: USA TODAY