Maryland settles with owners of ship that toppled Baltimore bridge

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The state of Maryland has reached an agreement with the operators of the cargo ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in 2024, toppling it and killing six, the state's attorney general said.The Dali container ship crashed into a pier that supported the central span of the bridge in the early morning hours of March 26, 2024. The bridge plunged into the Patapsco River below, killing six construction workers and bringing the major shipping artery at the Port of Baltimore to a screeching halt."For two years, Maryland workers, families, and communities have carried the weight of a disaster that should never have happened. The Dali’s crash into the Key Bridge disrupted the Port of Baltimore, devastated livelihoods, and sent economic shockwaves across our State that are still being felt today,” Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown said. “Our work is not finished, but this settlement is an important step toward making Maryland whole.”The settlement in principle, announced on April 9, "resolves claims brought against the vessel interest" brought by various Maryland agencies, Brown said in a news release. He did not disclose financial terms or other details of the agreement, which is still being finalized.Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Group, the owners and operators of the ship, said in a statement that "significant progress" had been made to resolve claims related to the bridge collapse. In addition to the preliminary agreement with the state of Maryland, the companies said they had also reached a deal with the company that insured the bridge, ACE American Insurance Company."These agreements represent a significant step towards resolving the complex litigation surrounding this event and Owners and Managers remain open to negotiating in good faith to reach equitable settlements with other involved parties holding meritorious claims," Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine Group said in the statement. "In addition to addressing the outstanding claims, they will seek to pursue all available legal avenues and resources to ensure that all responsible parties for the allision with the Francis Scott Key Bridge are brought to account.”Vishal Srivastava, a spokesperson for Synergy, declined to comment further or share details on the agreements.Deal comes 2 years after bridge catastropheThe bridge collapse was the result of a "preventable" crash, investigators have said. The 984-foot container ship lost power, propulsion and steering before it hit, a systems failure the National Transportation Safety Board attributed to a loose wire.At the time of the malfunction, seven workers and an inspector were on the bridge working on repairs. The ship's pilots notified authorities of the power loss, including the Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) and the Coast Guard, and the MDTA duty officer alerted police performing traffic control to stop traffic from entering the bridge, saving lives, NTSB investigators said.Investigators also found that the bridge's susceptibility to collapse if it was hit was well above federal thresholds.What's next for the Baltimore bridge, lawsuitsThe settlement with the Dali's owners and operators is still being finalized, Brown said. It comes as a result of a suit filed in September 2024 in federal court accusing the companies of negligence, mismanagement and the reckless operation of a vessel that wasn't seaworthy.Maryland asked for damages for the destruction of the bridge, harm to the river and environment, lost revenue and the economic losses by the state and residents."The collapse of one of the region's most vital infrastructure arteries brought shipping at the Port of Baltimore to a complete halt, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands of workers, rerouted traffic through communities already bearing disproportionate burdens, and triggered economic ripple effects still being felt across the state," Brown's office said.The settlement announced April 9 "does not resolve any claims the State may have against the shipbuilder, Hyundai," Brown added in the statement.A replacement bridge is expected to cost between $4.3 to $5.2 billion and isn't expected to be ready to open until 2030, MDTA announced in November 2025.Meanwhile, a trial that will determine whether the Dali's owner and operator can limit their liability to $44 million is expected to begin this summer, CBS News reported. Earlier in April, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine settled with ACE American Insurance Company for $350 million, the same amount the insurance companied paid to Maryland in 2024, CBS and the Associated Press reported.Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine in 2024 agreed to pay $102 million to settle a lawsuit brought by the U.S. Department of Justice to cover federal costs to clean up the disaster site.Contributing: N'dea Yancey-Bragg