Owner, operator of ship that rammed into Baltimore bridge settles with DOJ

The owner and operator of the cargo ship that rammed and caused the collapse of a Baltimore bridge earlier this year settled a civil lawsuit that was brought by the Department of Justice (DOJ) last month.

The DOJ announced on Thursday that Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, both Singaporean-based corporations, agreed to pay nearly $102 million to settle the lawsuit following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in late March.

Both corporations owned and operated Dali, the cargo vessel that lost then regained power before losing it again and hitting the Maryland bridge in the early morning hours on March 26, causing it to fall into the water. Six people were killed in the incident.

“Thanks to the hard work of the Justice Department attorneys since day one of this disaster, we were able to secure this early settlement of our claim, just over one month into litigation,” Benjamin C. Mizer, principal deputy associate attorney general, said in a statement.

“This resolution ensures that the costs of the federal government’s cleanup efforts in the Fort McHenry Channel are borne by Grace Ocean and Synergy and not the American taxpayer.”

The agreed payout comes a month after the DOJ pursued a civil negligence case against the two international firms, saying in mid-September the tragedy was entirely “avoidable” and occurred due to violations of safety regulations and unsuitable maintenance.

The bridge’s collapse disrupted shipping in the area for some time before the channel was reopened in June. The DOJ said the settlement doesn’t include any damages for the reconstruction of the bridge.

“This is a tremendous outcome that fully compensates the United States for the costs it incurred in responding to this disaster and holds the owner and operator of the DALI accountable,” Brian M. Boynton, also a principal deputy assistant attorney general at the DOJ, said.