Maryland files new lawsuit over Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse

Sep 24

Lauren Taylor Anchor/Reporter

By Lauren Taylor (Anchor/Reporter), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Ian Kennedy (Lead Video Editor)

Maryland is ramping up its legal battle against the owners of the massive container ship Dali that led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. State officials filed a new lawsuit during the week of Sept. 22, against Singapore-based companies, joining a string of claims accusing them of knowingly sending an unsafe vessel into U.S. waters.

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The lawsuit follows reports that the U.S. Department of Justice is seeking $100 million over the bridge collapse. Both Gov. Wes Moore, D-Md., and Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown delivered a message Tuesday, Sept. 24, saying that the companies failed in their duties.

The Dali was en route to Sri Lanka when it lost power on the way out of Baltimore harbor. That power outage ultimately set off a chain reaction, and led to the destruction of the bridge and the deaths of six road workers who were filling potholes during an overnight shift.

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The deadly collapse also crippled commercial shipping for months at one of the East Coast’s busiest ports. A spokesperson for Grace Ocean Private Limited has defended the company’s actions, saying they “look forward to their day in court.”

Meanwhile, the FBI is still conducting a criminal investigation. The bureau boarded the Dali back in April, and inspected another ship that is operated by Synergy Marine while it was docked in Baltimore last weekend.

Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine are seeking to limit their financial responsibility in what could become one of the most expensive maritime accidents in history. However, according to comments made by state officials, Maryland intends to hold them fully accountable.

“We will not allow Marylanders to be left with the bill for the gross negligence… that caused this harm,” Brown said during the announcement with Gov. Moore.

The deadline for claims against shipping companies is fast approaching. Multiple parties have already filed lawsuits, including Baltimore city officials, local businesses and insurers.

Tags: Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Francis Scott Key Bridge, Maryland, Singapore, Wes Moore

Lauren Taylor

STATE OFFICIALS FILED A NEW LAWSUIT THIS WEEK AGAINST THE SINGAPORE-BASED COMPANIES, JOINING A STRING OF RECENT CLAIMS ACCUSING THEM OF KNOWINGLY SENDING AN UNSAFE VESSEL INTO U.S. WATERS.

THIS FOLLOWS A STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS REPORT THAT THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE IS SEEKING 100-MILLION-DOLLARS OVER THE BALTIMORE BRIDGE COLLAPSE.

BOTH THE MARYLAND GOVERNOR AND ATTORNEY GENERAL DELIVERED A MESSAGE TUESDAY:

(MARYLAND ATTORNEY GEN. ANTHONY BROWN)

“SIMPLY PUT, GRACE OCEAN LIMITED AND SYNERGY MARINE FAILED …IN MARYLAND HISTORY”

…BEFORE THE FATAL CRASH OCCURRED”

(MARYLAND GOV. WES MOORE)

“REBUILDING THE BRIDGE IS ABOUT NECESSITY…FOR THE BRIDGE REBUILD)

Lauren Taylor

THE DALI WAS EN ROUTE TO SRI LANKA WHEN IT LOST POWER ON THE WAY OUT OF THE BALTIMORE HARBOR. THAT POWER OUTAGE ULTIMATELY SET OFF A CHAIN REACTION, LEADING TO THE DESTRUCTION OF THE BRIDGE AND THE DEATHS OF SIX ROAD WORKERS, WHO WERE FILLING POTHOLES DURING AN OVERNIGHT SHIFT.

THE DEADLY COLLAPSE ALSO CRIPPLED COMMERCIAL SHIPPING FOR MONTHS AT ONE OF THE EAST COAST’S BUSIEST PORTS.

A SPOKESPERSON FOR GRACE OCEAN PRIVATE LIMITED HAS DEFENDED THE COMPANY’S ACTIONS SAYING THEY “LOOK FORWARD TO THEIR DAY IN COURT.”

MEANWHILE, THE FBI IS STILL CONDUCTING A CRIMINAL INVESTIGATION. THEY BOARDED THE DALI BACK IN APRIL, AND JUST LAST WEEKEND THEY INSPECTED ANOTHER SHIP OPERATED BY SYNERGY MARINE WHILE IT WAS DOCKED IN BALTIMORE.

GRACE OCEAN PRIVATE LIMITED AND SYNERGY MARINE ARE SEEKING TO LIMIT THEIR FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITY IN WHAT COULD BECOME ONE OF THE MOST EXPENSIVE MARITIME ACCIDENTS IN HISTORY.

HOWEVER, MARYLAND ATTORNEY GENERAL ANTHONY BROWN MADE IT CLEAR –THE STATE INTENDS TO HOLD THEM FULLY ACCOUNTABLE.

(MARYLAND ATTORNEY GEN. ANTHONY BROWN)

“WE WILL NOT ALLOW MARYLANDERS TO BE LEFT WITH THE BILL FOR THE GROSS NEGLIGENCE…THAT CAUSED THIS HARM”

Lauren Taylor

THE DEADLINE FOR CLAIMS AGAINST THE SHIPPING COMPANIES IS FAST APPROACHING, AND MULTIPLE PARTIES HAVE ALREADY FILED LAWSUITS, INCLUDING BALTIMORE CITY OFFICIALS, LOCAL BUSINESS, AND INSURERS.

WE’LL CONTINUE TO FOLLOW THIS LEGAL BATTLE AS IT UNFOLDS, FOR SAN I’M LAUREN TAYLORE