Dali ship owners agree to settlement with MD over Key Bridge crash

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The owners of the Dali, the ship that collided with Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge two years ago, have moved toward a settlement with the state of Maryland for an undisclosed amount of money.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown announced Thursday that Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Group have reached a settlement in principle with the state, resolving a “portion” of its claims for the crash. The settlement, which comes less than two months before the first scheduled trial in the March 26, 2024, bridge collapse, marks “significant progress” in resolving claims, the shipowners said in a joint statement.

“These agreements represent a significant step towards resolving the complex litigation surrounding this event,” the statement reads, referring to the settlement with the state and an agreement last month with the state’s insurer, which had paid out a $350 million claim for damage to the bridge. 

Brown’s office said the settlement resolves claims on behalf of the state and the Maryland Transportation Authority, Maryland Port Administration and Maryland Department of the Environment. It does not resolve claims against Hyundai, which built the ship.

“For two years, Maryland workers, families, and communities have carried the weight of a disaster that should never have happened,” Brown stated in a news release.

“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. Our work is not finished, but this settlement is an important step toward making Maryland whole.”

Brown provided no other details. No notice of the settlement had been filed in federal court, where Brown’s office and dozens of other litigants have filed claims.

After the crash, which caused the deaths of six people, the shipowners filed a petition to limit their liability to about $43.6 million, the value of the ship and its pending cargo. Brown’s Civil Litigation Division and others responded with claims alleging negligence and mismanagement. They argued the vessel was not seaworthy, and that the decision to leave the port was reckless.

The state sought damages for the destruction of the bridge, harm to the Patapsco River and economic harm to the state. The cost of a replacement bridge has risen to between $4.3 and $5.2 billion. 

A trial on both the shipowners’ liability for the crash is scheduled to begin June 1.

The Department of Justice settled with the shipowners in 2024 for over $100 million stemming from the cleanup following the collapse. Several litigants remain, including the estates of the six men who died while repairing potholes on the bridge, as well as Baltimore City, Baltimore County and several claimants with cargo on board the ship.

The shipowners said in the statement that they “remain open to negotiating in good faith to reach equitable settlements with other involved parties holding meritorious claims.”

Most of the parties said in a status report late last month that they had at least engaged in settlement talks. A group of claimants alleging private economic losses due to the collapse, such as longshoremen and local businesses affected by the collapse, had not but said they would be open to a settlement conference.

The shipowners, who have a pending lawsuit against Hyundai Heavy Industries, said 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.”

This story has been updated.