BALTIMORE — The Department of Justice has reached a settlement with the owner and operator of the DALI in response to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited have agreed to pay $101,980,000 million to resolve a civil claim from the United States.
The settlement money will go to the U.S. Treasury and several agencies affected by the collapse.
“Nearly seven months after one of the worst transportation disasters in recent memory, which claimed six lives and caused untold damage, we have reached an important milestone with today’s settlement,” said Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer.
The settlement does not include any damages for the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
On Sept. 18, the Justice Department filed a civil lawsuit in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland, seeking over $100 million in damages from Grace Ocean and Synergy.
In their filing, the DOJ lists a number of avoidable failures, placing direct responsibility on the ship's owner and manager.
RELATED: Demand for DALI owners to take full responsibility for Key Bridge collapse
"The electrical and mechanical systems on the DALI were improperly maintained and configured in a way that violated safety regulations and norms for international shipping," U.S. Attorneys wrote. "Those responsible for the vessel must be held fully accountable for the catastrophic harm they caused, and punitive damages should be imposed to deter such misconduct."
Despite this news, the DALI owners maintain their innocence.
Darrell Wilson, spokesman for Synergy Marine/Grace Ocean, issued the following statement:
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine announce an agreement with the U.S. Government on cost management related to the Francis Scott Key Bridge incident, while rejecting liability for the event.
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd have been cooperating with the Federal Government from the outset of this matter to monitor and manage all costs associated with their role in clearing the main channel in and out of Baltimore Harbor. We are pleased to confirm that Grace Ocean and Synergy have reached an agreement with the United States regarding the payment of those costs, which are fully insured.
The settlement strictly covers costs related to clearing the channel, which we would have been responsible for in any case, and is not indicative of any liability, which we expressly reject for the incident that led to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. No punitive damages have been imposed as part of this settlement. In accordance with the settlement, the United States has dismissed its claim.
It is important to highlight that the Federal Government’s claim was unique and significantly different from other claims, as it fell outside the usual limitation of liability framework. Grace Ocean and Synergy are prepared to vigorously defend themselves in the limitation of liability proceedings pending before the Federal Court in Baltimore and to establish that they were not responsible for the incident.
