WASHINGTON (TNND) — The companies responsible for the catastrophic collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this year, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited of Singapore, have agreed to a settlement exceeding $100 million. This resolves a civil claim by the U.S. government for costs related to the disaster.
According to the U.S. Department of Justice, the companies will pay $101.98 million after their container ship, Dali, collided with a support column on March 26, leading to the bridge’s collapse. The incident, caused by the ship’s poorly maintained electrical and mechanical systems, resulted in a loss of power, sending the vessel off course and into the bridge structure.
The collapse tragically claimed six lives and disrupted local and national transportation networks. Known as a “key artery” in the community, the bridge’s damage severely affected shipping through the Port of Baltimore, further straining economic activity.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer remarked in a DOJ release that this resolution is “an important milestone,” ensuring the financial burden of cleanup falls on the responsible parties rather than taxpayers. Cleanup operations involved removing approximately 50,000 tons of debris, a task spanning several months with collaboration from federal, state, and local agencies. The channel was fully reopened to shipping in June.
While the settlement covers cleanup expenses, it does not include costs for reconstructing the bridge itself. Maryland has separately filed a claim for bridge repair costs, aiming to reduce the financial impact on federal funds allocated for the project.
