Maryland has reached a breakthrough settlement with the owner and operator of the containership Dali, a major step towards resolving claims from the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Attorney General Anthony G. Brown confirmed the agreement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, covering part of the state’s legal action after the vessel struck the bridge on 26 March 2024.
The deal, still to be finalised, settles claims brought on behalf of agencies including the Maryland Transportation Authority, Maryland Port Administration and Maryland Department of the Environment. Financial details remain under wraps. Brown described the agreement as a crucial move towards recovery after a disaster that shook workers, families and businesses across the state.
However, the settlement leaves unresolved questions around the role of HD Hyundai Heavy Industries, keeping a key strand of the wider case alive. Maryland’s lawsuit, filed in September 2024, accused the companies of negligence and operating an unseaworthy vessel that “should never have left port”.
The state is seeking damages for the destruction of the bridge, environmental harm to the Patapsco River, and the sweeping economic fallout. Six construction workers lost their lives in the collapse, which paralysed traffic and halted shipping through the Port of Baltimore.
The disruption forced tens of thousands of daily commuters onto diversion routes and sent shockwaves through supply chains, with the impact still being felt nearly two years on. While civil claims are beginning to move forward, the cause of the disaster remains contested.
The National Transportation Safety Board has pointed to a power failure triggered by a loose signal wire, but deeper questions about ship operations, system safeguards and infrastructure resilience continue to fuel ongoing investigations.