Lawyers for Baltimore city officials filed a legal claim Monday against owners of the 985’ container ship Dali, alleging Singapore-based Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine of incompetence in the March 26 allision that brought down the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
The city’s claim seeks unspecified damages, and counters the ship owners’ earlier move to limit their liability in the case. Under maritime law the companies filed in federal court to limit potential future payouts to $43.6 million, the owners estimate of value for the ship and its cargo.
Baltimore officials cited reports the Dali was experiencing electrical problems in port before it departed, outbound en route to Sri Lanka, and suffered a massive power failure before veering into a bridge pier.
Salvors continue working to clear bridge wreckage and the trapped Dali from Baltimore’s main channel. Three shallow-draft emergency channels have so far allowed only a trickle of tug and barge traffic past the bridge site, with 130 transits as of April 20, according the joint command managing the rersponse.
The city’s legal claim says the disaster has shut down Baltimore’s main economic engine.
