Baltimore — The Singaporean company that owns the cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge last week took steps Monday to limit its liability for the accident.
The Dali, a 984-foot-long vessel carrying shipping containers, struck one of the Key Bridge's support columns around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, causing the tragic collapse. Six people are presumed dead, and a salvage operation is underway to clear debris and recover the bodies of the four victims that have not yet been located.
There are believed to be eight construction workers who were on the bridge at the time of the collision. In addition to the six victims, two other workers were rescued from the water.
The six-page, preemptive filing in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore from Grace Ocean Private Limited, and the manager of the ship, Synergy Marine Group, is potentially in anticipation of a wave of civil lawsuits or a Justice Department civil complaint.
Represented by a team of attorneys from Baltimore and Washington, the company is seeking a court order to prevent the prosecution of any claims against them except in this specific case. They are also requesting the court to declare that they are not responsible for any losses or damages resulting from the Casualty.
If the court finds the Owner and/or Synergy liable, the company is asking for the liability to be limited to the value of the Vessel and its pending freight related to the voyage. They request to be discharged from further liability upon surrendering such interest, with the surrendered money to be distributed among successful claimants. The filing mentions that the pending freight at the time of the voyage is approximately $1.17 million.
According to the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851, a shipowner can seek to limit their liability in case of an accident to the value of the ship.
Additionally, salvage crews have created an emergency passageway through the Patapsco River, enabling limited vessels to access the Port of Baltimore.
