On Wednesday, the Justice Department initiated legal action seeking over $100 million from Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the companies responsible for operating the container ship that devastated Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March. The lawsuit alleges that cost-cutting measures and negligence in maintaining the vessel led to the "entirely avoidable" catastrophe. According to the suit, the companies deployed an inadequately prepared crew on a vessel deemed unseaworthy to navigate U.S. waterways, aiming to capitalize on American port business while compromising safety.
The financial penalty sought by the Justice Department aims to cover expenses related to the government’s response to the bridge collapse and the extensive effort required to remove approximately 50,000 tons of debris, including steel, concrete, and asphalt, from the water to reopen the Port of Baltimore. Additionally, the FBI has launched a criminal investigation to determine whether the ship’s crew failed to report a prior issue that caused a departure delay, as reported by CNN. While no criminal charges have been filed yet, the Justice Department's filing condemns the companies’ actions as “outrageous, grossly negligent, willful, wanton, and reckless.” Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer did not comment on potential criminal charges, stating that “we cannot comment on any criminal investigation or action today.”
The city of Baltimore has also initiated legal action against Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, with families of three victims indicating their intention to file lawsuits as well. This lawsuit marks the federal government’s initial enforcement response following the devastating incident involving the nearly 1,000-foot-long, 213-million-pound container ship, the Dali, which struck a critical support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The collision led to the bridge's collapse, resulting in the deaths of six immigrant laborers who were working on pothole repairs overnight.
In a statement released Wednesday, Attorney General Merrick Garland emphasized the Justice Department's commitment to holding accountable those responsible for the destruction of the bridge. “The Justice Department is dedicated to ensuring accountability for the damage caused to the Francis Scott Key Bridge, which resulted in the tragic loss of six lives and disrupted vital transportation and defense infrastructure,” Garland said. He added, “Through this civil claim, we aim to ensure that the financial burden of clearing the channel and reopening the Port of Baltimore falls on the companies responsible for the incident, rather than the American taxpayer.”
The Justice Department is also seeking punitive damages, arguing that Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine need to be deterred due to their continued operation of vessels, including a sister ship to the Dali, in U.S. waters, thereby benefiting economically from their activities. Synergy Marine’s spokesperson, Darrell Wilson, responded to CNN, stating that the claim was “anticipated” and expressed eagerness to “set the record straight” in court. The civil lawsuit provides detailed allegations of how the ship's maintenance failures contributed to the catastrophic collision and criticizes the companies for their failure to report known issues with the vessel.
The Justice Department has stated that "this tragedy was entirely avoidable," highlighting that none of the four critical systems—the rudder, propeller, anchor, or bow thruster—were functioning properly at the time of the incident. According to the department, instead of addressing persistent issues with their electrical transformer, the companies opted to use temporary fixes that frequently failed. On the night of the bridge collapse, when these makeshift braces gave way, the ship’s engine room was plunged into darkness.
Prosecutors revealed that power should have been automatically redirected to a backup transformer within seconds, allowing sufficient time to navigate away from the bridge. However, this safety feature had been "recklessly disabled," leaving the ship without proper control. Although the Dali briefly regained power, it was lost again a minute later due to further failures in the ship's infrastructure, which were attributed to the companies’ cost-cutting measures and neglectful maintenance.
Additionally, prosecutors pointed out that the ship had experienced a power outage the day before the collapse, but this incident was never reported to the Coast Guard, as required by law. The companies' decisions to cut corners for financial reasons and convenience contributed significantly to the disaster, according to the department. This account has been updated to include the latest developments in the case.
In conclusion, the Justice Department's findings underscore a profound disregard for safety and maintenance standards by Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited. The failure to properly maintain critical systems, combined with the reckless disabling of safety features and inadequate reporting of prior issues, culminated in a disaster that could have been entirely prevented. The department's investigation reveals a pattern of cost-cutting and negligence that not only jeopardized lives but also led to significant infrastructure damage. As the legal proceedings continue, these revelations emphasize the need for rigorous accountability and reinforce the importance of stringent adherence to safety protocols in maritime operations.
