The U.S. Justice Department has filed a civil lawsuit seeking over $100 million (Ksh.12.9 billion) from the owner and operator of a container ship that caused the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, killing six people.
The lawsuit aims to recover the $103 million (about Ksh.13.3 billion) the United States spent on disaster response, debris removal, and reopening the Port of Baltimore in June.
The Justice Department also seeks punitive damages, citing negligence by Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singapore-based companies that own and operate the Dali cargo ship.
“This tragedy was entirely preventable and stemmed from foreseeable errors by the ship’s owner and operator,” said Brian Boynton, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. Representatives for Grace Ocean and Synergy have yet to respond to requests for comment.
In April, the FBI launched a criminal investigation into the collapse. The National Transportation Safety Board reported that the Dali experienced multiple power failures before crashing into the bridge’s support tower on March 26, causing the bridge to collapse into the Patapsco River and killing six workers.
Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer stated that the ship’s owners were aware of ongoing issues with Dali’s electrical and mechanical systems but failed to address them due to negligence and cost-cutting measures. According to Mizer, this negligence led to a cascade of failures, resulting in the disaster.
The bridge collapse required the removal of 50,000 tons of debris, with over 1,500 responders and 500 specialists from 56 agencies participating in the cleanup.
Maryland estimates that rebuilding the bridge will cost between $1.7 billion (Ksh.219.3 billion) and $1.9 billion (Ksh.245.1 billion), with completion expected by fall 2028.
