Justice Department Sues Dali Vessel Operators for $100 Million in Baltimore Bridge Disaster

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Dali vessel, seeking $100 million in damages related to the Baltimore bridge disaster that occurred in March 2024. All six victims who died in the collapse have been recovered.

The Justice Department has filed a $100 million lawsuit against the owner and operator of the Dali vessel, which crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing its collapse and the tragic loss of six lives.

Justice Department Sues Dali Vessel Operators for $100 Million in Baltimore Bridge Disaster

The civil claim, filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, targets Singaporean corporations Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, which owned and operated the Dali container ship.

The lawsuit alleges that the ship's owner and manager "sent an ill-prepared crew on an abjectly unseaworthy vessel to navigate the United States' waterways" and "cut corners in ways that risked lives and infrastructure."

Justice Department Sues Dali Vessel Operators for $100 Million in Baltimore Bridge Disaster

According to the lawsuit, the Dali experienced power outages while maneuvering through Fort McHenry Channel, striking the Key Bridge and causing its collapse. The incident disrupted all shipping in and out of the port and cut off a critical highway route.

The U.S. government incurred significant costs in removing steel, concrete, and asphalt from the channel and the ship itself to reopen the Port of Baltimore. The lawsuit seeks to recover these damages, but does not include bridge reconstruction costs, which were borne by the state of Maryland.

Justice Department Sues Dali Vessel Operators for $100 Million in Baltimore Bridge Disaster

Acting Deputy Assistant Attorney General Chetan Patil 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 ignored the risks to American lives and the nation's infrastructure."

Attorney General Merrick Garland said, "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."

Justice Department Sues Dali Vessel Operators for $100 Million in Baltimore Bridge Disaster

The lawsuit highlights that the Dali had known vibration issues that could cause power outages, but the owner and operator neglected to take necessary precautions. This negligence led to a series of failures that resulted in the disaster.

Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer stated, "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."

The Justice Department's Civil Division head, Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Brian M. Boynton, said, "This suit seeks to recover the costs incurred by the United States in responding to this disaster, which include removing the bridge parts from the channel and those parts that were entangled with the vessel, as well as abating the substantial risk of oil pollution."

Fox News Digital contacted Synergy Marine Private Limited and an attorney for Grace Ocean Private Limited for comment, but they did not immediately respond. The disaster serves as a reminder of the importance of maritime safety and the consequences of negligence.