State of Maryland seeks compensation for damages caused by the Dali vessel allision.
In yet another twist in the legal fallout from the Dali vessel collision with Baltimore’s Key Bridge, the State of Maryland has now joined the fray. Hot on the heels of a $100 million lawsuit filed by the US Department of Justice, Maryland is now pursuing its own legal battle against the ship’s owner, Grace Ocean Pte Ltd, and its operator, Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. This time, the state is demanding a staggering billion-dollar payout to cover the extensive costs caused by the crash.
On 26 March, the 100,000-ton container ship Dali suffered electrical failures while outbound from the Port of Baltimore. This failure resulted in a catastrophic allision with the Francis Scott Key (FSK) Bridge, causing massive structural damage and a host of related problems. Now, Maryland is seeking justice in Federal District Court, filing a civil suit that could have enormous financial repercussions for the companies involved.
Attorney General Anthony Brown, flanked by Governor Wes Moore at a press conference, minced no words, calling the accident “a direct result of gross incompetence.” The lawsuit asserts that the disaster could have been avoided entirely had the owners and operators taken proper care.
Seeking Compensation and Criminal Charges
Maryland’s suit goes beyond simply asking for financial reparations. The state also seeks to hold Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine criminally accountable. According to the lawsuit, the power issues that led to the crash were well-known but deliberately kept under wraps. Crucially, they were not reported to the United States Coast Guard or the local pilots tasked with guiding the vessel out of port.
The state’s legal filing alleges that the Dali’s master falsely assured the pilots that everything was functioning properly, despite knowing otherwise. This alleged deception has become a focal point of the case, with Maryland’s legal team arguing that this negligence—if not outright malfeasance—should invalidate any efforts by the defendants to limit their liability.
A List of Costs Piling Up
The lawsuit outlines a laundry list of damages the state is seeking to recover, including:
- Costs of replacing the damaged portion of the FSK bridge
- Lost toll revenue and tax income
- Environmental damages due to contamination
- Emergency response and salvage operation expenses
- Compensation for businesses and workers affected by the bridge closure
Estimates for the cost of replacing the bridge alone are eye-watering. According to Maryland’s Department of Transportation, rebuilding the FSK Bridge will be a complex, multi-year project expected to cost at least $1.7 billion. The state also notes that construction won’t be completed until at least 2028, further compounding the economic damage.
Preventable Disaster?
At the heart of Maryland’s case is the assertion that the entire incident was avoidable. The state argues that the Dali’s unseaworthiness—stemming from known defects—renders Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine responsible for the allision. In the legal filing, Maryland asks the court to deny the companies’ efforts to limit their liability to a mere $43 million, stating:
“This disaster was entirely preventable had the Dali’s owners and operators exercised proper care and diligence.”
Maryland’s brief goes into detail about the vessel’s defects, which, they claim, existed well before the ship’s fateful voyage on March 26. The state is asking the court to hold the defendants fully accountable for their “reckless conduct, negligence, mismanagement, and incompetency.”
Uncertain Costs, But High Stakes
While the full extent of the damages remains unclear, Maryland’s lawsuit makes it clear that the financial toll will be enormous. Estimates for the bridge replacement alone range between $1 billion and $2 billion, and the filing acknowledges that the environmental and economic impacts will continue to unfold in the coming years.
The outcome of this case could have significant implications for the future of maritime law, especially regarding how liability is assigned in cases involving unseaworthy vessels and known defects. Should Maryland succeed in its claim, it could set a powerful precedent for holding vessel owners and operators to a higher standard of accountability.
“This disaster was entirely preventable had the Dali’s owners and operators exercised proper care and diligence.” — Attorney General Anthony Brown
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