Over a year after the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, collapsed when it was struck by the cargo ship Dali, accusations are still flying in court about who's to blame.
The latest lawsuit comes from Dali owner Grace Ocean and its manager, Synergy Marine, and alleges the deadly crash was the fault of shipbuilder Hyundai Heavy Industries’ “negligence or gross negligence in the design, construction, and/or manufacture of a critical switchboard” on the Dali.
The suit alleges Hyundai Heavy Industries designed the 10-year-old ship’s switchboard in a way that did not allow for a safe wired connection to the under-voltage release mechanism, a device designed to open circuit breakers if its electrical current is interrupted or falls below a certain threshold. When this happens, the ship’s switchboard loses power.
According to the filing, the Dali lost power shortly before it hit the Key Bridge when two of its circuit breakers that power equipment and lighting unexpectedly opened. A second subsequent loss of power occurred shortly before the crash.
Hyundai Heavy Industries, based in South Korea, built the Dali in 2014 and delivered it to Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine in 2015.
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine are seeking compensation for the following:
- The cost of Dali damage and resulting repairs.
- Contributions and indemnity for damages sustained by those who have sued Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine over the crash.
- Pre-judgment interest, post-judgment interest and court costs.
- Attorney fees.
- Any other damages the court deems appropriate.
The collapse of the Key Bridge on March 26, 2024, killed six construction workers and injured two more. A variety of lawsuits have come against Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine since the crash. The U.S. Department of Justice filed a lawsuit against the two companies in September 2024, which was settled for over $100 million.
Other lawsuits include those from the families of workers killed in the bridge crash, the state of Maryland, the contractor that employed the six men killed in the crash, an inspector who was supervising repairs on the bridge when the crash occurred and an Australian yacht broker.
Earlier this year, the Maryland Transportation Authority reiterated that it blames the ship Dali's owners for the deadly collapse after the National Transportation Safety Board said MDTA could have taken steps to avoid the catastrophe.
The crash was caused, according to the state, by two electrical power failures that cut propulsion and its ability to steer. Additionally, a series of other errors – including failing backup equipment, the crew’s failure to restore power and the pilots’ requests not followed in time – contributed to the crash. The state alleges the ship's management and crew intentionally circumvented critical safety features.
Demolition of the Key Bridge's remains began in July and is expected to take several months, according to MDTA. The bridge deck over the river will be removed, followed by demolition of sections over Hawkins Point and Sollers Point. The final portion of this first phase of demolition will remove the north and south abutments.
