Massive Container Ship Crash Resulting in $102 Million Settlement
The owner and manager of the massive container ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore have agreed to pay nearly $102 million to settle a civil claim brought by the US government. The incident, which occurred in March, caused the deaths of six construction workers and halted maritime traffic at the busy port for months.
The MV Dali, a 100,000-plus-ton ship, collided with the bridge during the early hours of March 26. The settlement money will cover the costs of the extensive clean-up operation needed to remove debris from the channel and the ship itself.
The US Justice Department sued Dali’s owner, Grace Ocean Ltd., and manager, Synergy Marine Group, both based in Singapore, seeking to recover the costs of the emergency response. While the Justice Department has dropped its lawsuit as part of the settlement, state officials are still pursuing their own claim for damages related to the reconstruction of the bridge.
The incident highlighted failures in the ship’s maintenance and operational systems, leading to the tragic crash. The settlement marks a significant step towards holding the responsible parties accountable for the disaster.