Justice Department sues owner of ship that rammed into Baltimore bridge

The Justice Department on Wednesday filed a lawsuit against the owner and operator of the container ship that rammed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, seeking $100 million in damages for the structure’s collapse, which killed six construction workers and led to massive economic losses.
On a call with reporters, Justice Department officials said the Singapore-based companies, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, were “well-aware” of issues on the ship, the Dali, that could cause power outages before the accident. The massive vessel struck one of the bridge’s columns in the early morning hours of March 26 after it lost power, causing a section of the structure to collapse into the water.
“The civil claims filed today alleges that the collision was caused by a series of catastrophic failures on board the Dali in the minutes before impact, all as a consequence of the alleged negligence,” U.S. Attorney Erek Barron for the District of Maryland said on the call.
Justice Department officials said the U.S. government spent more than $100 million to respond to the disaster and reopen the Port of Baltimore. The state of Maryland, the officials said, may seek damages for rebuilding the bridge. 
Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for the Singapore-based companies, said the Justice Department’s legal action was “anticipated” as there is a Sept. 24 court deadline for those with claims against the owner and operator of the Dali.
“The owner and manager will have no further comment on the merits of any claim at this time, but we do look forward to our day in court to set the record straight,” Wilson said.
The lawsuit was filed in the case in federal district court in Maryland that started soon after the tragedy, when Grace Ocean Private Limited filed a motion to limit its legal liability for the disaster. On Tuesday, the families of three of the construction workers who died on March 26 announced they would seek to hold the Singapore-based company legally liable, a request that, if granted, could allow them to receive monetary compensation.
In a television exclusive interview with CBS News this week, Maria del Carmen Castellon, who lost her husband, Miguel Luna, when the bridge collapsed, said “justice” for her would be to have him back in her life. She called her husband and the workers who perished that day “heroes.”
“They were there,” she noted, “so this country can have better streets. And those bridges, to have better conditions.”

Nathalie Nieves

contributed to this report.