The U.S. Department of Justice announced on Tuesday that a grand jury has charged two foreign operators and a shoreside superintendent in connection with the March 2024 collision involving the 300-meter cargo ship Dali, which resulted in the destruction of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge and the tragic deaths of six construction workers.
Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., headquartered in Singapore, and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd., based in Chennai, India, along with Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, a 47-year-old Indian national who served as the technical superintendent for the Dali, are facing charges including conspiracy, failure to promptly report a hazardous condition to the U.S. Coast Guard, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and making false statements.
Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche referred to the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge as a preventable tragedy with significant consequences. Nair, who is believed to be in India, may face extradition proceedings.
The indictment accuses the companies and individual of engaging in a conspiracy to defraud the United States and causing the deaths of the six construction workers on the bridge. Additionally, they are charged with providing false statements and documents to the National Transportation Safety Board.
Both Synergy corporations are also facing charges related to violations of the Clean Water Act, Oil Pollution Act, and Refuse Act for polluting the Patapsco River. The indictment states that the Dali experienced two power failures within a short time frame while departing from the Port of Baltimore, leading to the collision with the Key Bridge.
It is alleged that the defendants relied on a flushing pump to fuel two of the Dali’s generators, but the pump failed to restart automatically during a blackout, leaving the generators without fuel. The indictment suggests that with proper fuel supply pumps, the vessel could have avoided the collision.
A recent civil settlement, based on the investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board, revealed that two electrical blackouts, one caused by a loose wire and the other by fuel pump issues, disabled the ship’s controls before the accident occurred.
The collision, which caused over $5 billion in damages and significant environmental harm, disrupted shipping activities at the Port of Baltimore and led to economic challenges statewide. The Maryland Attorney General’s Office emphasized that the true costs of the incident extended beyond monetary figures, affecting thousands of livelihoods and causing widespread economic disruptions.
Following the indictment, a settlement in principle was announced involving the state, Synergy Marine, and Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the ship owner based in Singapore. The settlement addressed allegations of negligence, mismanagement, and the unseaworthiness of the vessel, which had severe consequences for the families of the deceased workers and local governments seeking damages.
Details of the settlement remain undisclosed, with some aspects of the lawsuit still pending resolution.