Maryland Reaches Settlement With Ship Owner, Operator Over Bridge Collapse

The state of Maryland has reached a settlement in principle with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., the owner and operator of the M/V Dali, resolving a portion of the state’s claims arising from the cargo ship’s allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge two years ago.

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown did not disclose any details of the settlement that is still being finalized. Brown said the settlement resolves claims brought against the vessel interest by the state and its agencies, including the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland Port Administration, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

He said the settlement does not resolve any claims the state may have against the shipbuilder, Hyundai.

The announcement came following a ruling in January allowing Synergy, the manager of the cargo ship, to proceed for now with its claims under an 1851 maritime law that limits liability for shipowners. The state of Maryland and wrongful death claimants had sought to prevent Synergy Marine from invoking the Shipowners’ Limitation of Liability Act on the basis that Synergy did not meet the requirements as an owner of the ship and thus is not entitled to limited liability protection granted by the law. But U.S. District Court Judge James K. Bredar denied that motion.

The state did not challenge ship owner Grace Ocean’s invoking of the maritime law. As a result, both Grace Ocean and Synergy are entitled to stand trial on their right to limitation.

Under the maritime law, a shipowner’s liability for a maritime loss or mishap is limited to the value of the ship and her pending freight if the mishap occurred without the privity of knowledge of the owner. The stipulated value of the Dali is $43.7 million.

In the bridge collapse on March 26, 2024, six construction workers lost their lives. The collapse brought shipping at the Port of Baltimore to a complete halt, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of workers, and generated economic ripple effects across the state.

Topics Maryland