The U.S. Justice Department has reached a settlement of over $100 million with the companies that owned and operated the vessel that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland, causing it to collapse. The companies, Dali.Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine Private Ltd., based in Singapore, have agreed to pay $101,980,000 to settle the civil claim for the costs incurred by the U.S. government in responding to the incident. The settlement does not include damages to rebuild the bridge, as Maryland owned and operated it. The U.S. had claimed civil damages under the Rivers and Harbors Act, the Oil Pollution Act, and general maritime law. The incident occurred when the Dali vessel lost power and collided with the bridge, leading to the deaths of six workers and obstructing the Fort McHenry Channel for months, impacting shipping and transportation infrastructure. The U.S. led response efforts to remove debris from the channel and the vessel itself, as well as setting up temporary channels to alleviate the bottleneck at the Port of Baltimore. This settlement is seen as a significant outcome that compensates the U.S. for the response costs incurred and holds the vessel’s owners accountable.
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Ship operator in Baltimore bridge collapse agrees to $100 million settlement, according to DOJ
