Court ruling or official DOJ announcement

DOJ Sues Dali Ship Owner for $100M Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse, Six Deaths

Sep 18, 2024, 04:08 PM

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit seeking more than $100 million against the owner and operator of the Singapore-flagged cargo ship Dali, which caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March. The lawsuit alleges that the ship's owner and operator were negligent and mismanaged the vessel, leading to the bridge collapse that killed six workers and disrupted a major transportation route. The Justice Department claims the incident was 'entirely avoidable' and resulted from a series of foreseeable errors, including the ship being 'jury-rigged' and 'abjectly unseaworthy.' The government seeks to recover costs associated with clearing the debris and reopening the port, as well as punitive damages for the reckless conduct of the ship's owner and operator.