Wed Sep 18 17:46:00 UTC 2024: ## US Sues Ship Owners for $100 Million Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

**Baltimore, MD -** The US Justice Department has filed a lawsuit against the owner and manager of the cargo ship “Dali” responsible for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore earlier this year. The government is seeking over $100 million in damages to cover the cost of clearing the underwater debris and reopening the Port of Baltimore, which was heavily impacted by the incident.

The lawsuit alleges that the “Dali” suffered a power outage due to poorly maintained electrical and mechanical systems, causing it to veer off course and collide with a bridge support column in March. Attorney General Merrick Garland stated, “This tragedy was entirely avoidable,” and emphasized the Justice Department’s commitment to ensuring that the costs of the cleanup and port reopening are borne by the responsible companies, not by American taxpayers.

The defendants, Grace Ocean Private Ltd. (owner) and Synergy Marine Group (manager), are both based in Singapore. They had previously filed a court petition seeking to limit their legal liability in what could become the most expensive marine casualty case in history.

The bridge collapse had a significant impact on commercial shipping traffic, causing months of delays before the channel was fully reopened in June. This lawsuit marks the US government’s attempt to hold the ship owners accountable for the damages incurred by the incident.

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