Two Singaporean companies who owned the ship that rammed into and brought down Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge have agreed to pay just under $102 million to settle a claim filed by the U.S. government.
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine will pay $101,980,000 toward the government’s costs to restore access to the Port of Baltimore and remove about 50,000 tonnes of steel, concrete, and asphalt from the channel and the vessel itself.
The U.S. made its claim after the 300-metre-long container ship Dali, headed from the port to Sri Lanka, lost power twice and struck one of the bridge’s piers, causing it to collapse at around 1:30 a.m. on 26 March 2024.
Six people carrying out maintenance on the bridge fell into the water and died. Two people were rescued from the river.
The Department of Justice said that shortly after the incident, the companies sought exoneration or to limit their liability to around $43.7 million.
The settlement does not include any damages for the bridge’s reconstruction.
According to the Justice Department, the State of Maryland, which built and owned the bridge, has filed its own claim for damages. The bridge’s replacement is expected to cost $1.9 billion over the next four years.
The city of Baltimore has also filed a lawsuit against Grace Ocean and Synergy.
What you’ll get: