DOJ sues owner, operator of vessel that destroyed Baltimore bridge

The Department of Justice (DOJ) is pursuing a civil negligence case against the owner and operator of the Dali, the ship that rammed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, causing millions in damages and temporarily shutting down one of the country’s busiest ports.

The DOJ’s complaint argues the crash, which killed six workers on the bridge, was entirely “avoidable” and caused by improper maintenance and violations of safety regulations. And it says Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the ship’s owner, and Synergy Marine Group, its operator, should cover $100 million in cleanup costs and additional penalties.

The United States attorney’s office told reporters Wednesday morning the ship’s owner and operator were “prioritizing profit over safety” and therefore should cover the cost of damages, “not the American taxpayer.” The DOJ is also seeking punitive costs to encourage companies to adhere to safety standards.

Court documents say both an officer and captain previously reported the ship’s issues to Synergy, and that it should have come as “no surprise” when circuit breakers tripped after a power outage, preventing the vessel from stopping and causing a “cascading series of failures” on March 26.

After the incident, the two companies filed a request for limited liability, which would reduce their financial obligations. However, the DOJ is arguing the claim isn’t valid under maritime law. Maritime regulations require a vessel’s emergency generator turn on automatically within 45 seconds of power loss, which did not happen.

It took more than a minute for the ship to regain power, and when it finally did, it lost energy for a second time.

“As events unfolded, and because of the unseaworthy condition of the ship, none of the four means available to help control the DALI — her propeller, rudder, anchor, or bow thruster — worked when they were needed to avert or even mitigate this disaster,” the lawsuit says.

“This second power failure was caused by Petitioners’ decision — made to save money and for their own convenience — to use a ‘flushing’ pump to fuel the diesel generators that made the ship’s electricity,” it adds.

In addition to the destruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, the vessel obstructed the Fort McHenry Channel, blocking access to the Port of Baltimore for days, “severing key links in the Nation’s transportation and defense infrastructure.”

Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Synergy and Grace Ocean, said the DOJ claim was “anticipated” in an emailed statement.

“The owner and manager will have no further comment on the merits of any claim at this time, but we do look forward to our day in court to set the record straight,” he added.