MD Sues Owner, Manager Of Ship That Caused Key Bridge Collapse

BALTIMORE, MD — The state of Maryland has filed a lawsuit against the owner and manager of the container ship Dali, which caused the Francis Scott Key Bridge to collapse after it experienced electrical blackouts and other failures.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown and Gov. Wes Moore announced the new lawsuit on Tuesday. It is the latest of several filings accusing Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. of negligence and incompetence following the collapse that claimed the lives of six road construction workers.

"Marylanders rallied and moved in partnership to take bold action following the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. But the presence of action doesn’t mean the absence of accountability. We can — and we will — pursue both at the same time," Gov. Moore said in a statement.

A road crew was on the bridge patching potholes on Interstate 695 when the collision happened in the early morning hours of March 26. The wreckage from the bridge fell into the Patapsco River, blocked access to most of the Port of Baltimore, and caused "enormous disruptions and other significant harms to the state and its residents," officials said.

The Dali suffered two electrical blackouts that led to major equipment failure hours before it struck the bridge, according to a preliminary report released by the National Transportation Safety Board.

In the report, officials wrote that the Dali had experienced electrical problems the day before the collision. In the hours before the ship left the Port of Baltimore on a voyage to Sri Lanka, the ship lost power twice, causing the vessel to lose propulsion and the ability to steer.

According to officials, a mistake by a crew member working on a diesel engine part caused the first "in-port blackout." A second blackout in port was attributed to "insufficient fuel pressure," the report said.

The FBI has launched a criminal investigation into the circumstances leading up to the crash.

Related:

• Feds Board Vessel Managed By Company Whose Ship Struck Key Bridge
• Loose Electrical Cable Found On Ship That Caused Key Bridge Collapse
• MD Awards Contract For Key Bridge Rebuild Following Deadly Collapse
• Key Bridge Collapse Survivor Relives Plunge 'All The Time': Report

The state’s claim seeks punitive damages against the companies as well as costs associated with cleaning up the wreckage and rebuilding the bridge. It also cites lost toll revenues, environmental contamination, damage to the state’s natural resources and other damages. Officials said they’re still working to quantify the total monetary loss.

The state also asked the court to deny a request by Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine to limit its liability in the collapse to the value of the ship.

Since the collapse, several entities have filed claims against the Dali's owner and manager, including families of the victims, survivors and the U.S. Department of Justice.

Last week, the Department of Justice filed a lawsuit seeking to recover more than $100 million that the government spent to clear the underwater debris and reopen the Port of Baltimore.

In the lawsuit, federal prosecutors said both companies recklessly cut corners and ignored known electrical problems on the vessel, which lost power multiple times minutes before it crashed into one of the bridge's support columns.

Family members of three workers killed in the collapse also filed a lawsuit last week against Synergy Marine Group and Grace Ocean Private Ltd.

At the news conference, family members described the tragedy as "deadly negligence," NBC Washington reported. In the lawsuit, the families are requesting an unspecified amount of money, as well as work permits to be able to "live with dignity in the United States."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Read all of Patch's Key Bridge collapse coverage here.