Maryland Secures Highest-Ever Marine Damage Payout Settlement Of $2.25 Billion Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse

The State of Maryland has reached a $2.25 billion settlement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, the owner and operator of the container ship M/V Dali that struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, causing its collapse.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the settlement on Tuesday, saying it resolves the state’s claims against the vessel owner and operator.

The settlement does not include claims against Hyundai Heavy Industries, the builder of the vessel, which Maryland said it will continue pursuing in court.

Several media reports said the settlement amount is around $2.5 billion.

The US federal government has earlier estimated the total damages from the accident at $5 billion, making it one of the costliest marine incidents ever recorded.

The settlement covers claims filed on behalf of several Maryland agencies, including the Maryland Transportation Authority, the Maryland Port Administration, and the Maryland Department of the Environment.

The claims included destruction of the bridge, environmental damage to the Patapsco River, lost toll revenues, and economic losses suffered by the state and its residents.

The collapse happened on 26 March 2024 when the Dali crashed into a supporting column of the bridge. Six construction workers were killed in the incident.

Maryland filed its claims in the US District Court in September 2024. The lawsuit alleged negligence, mismanagement, and reckless operation of a vessel that was not seaworthy and should not have left port.

Before the settlement, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine had attempted to limit their liability to about $43.7 million under the Limitation of Liability Act of 1851.

The amount was based on the estimated value of the vessel after the disaster.

State officials argued that the figure represented only a small portion of the overall losses caused by the collapse.

Attorney General Brown said the bridge collapse caused damage on a scale never seen before in Maryland.

He added that the state would continue legal action against Hyundai Heavy Industries, which investigators also linked to the incident.

In November 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board released its final report into the collapse.

Investigators said the Dali lost power because of a loose signal wire in the ship’s electrical control centre.

The NTSB described the incident as preventable and also identified Hyundai Heavy Industries as having contributed to the vessel’s power loss.

The US Department of Justice reached a separate $102 million civil settlement with Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine in October 2024 over claims by federal agencies.

Just before Maryland confirmed the settlement, US federal prosecutors also announced criminal charges linked to the bridge collapse investigation.

Charges were filed against Synergy Marine of Singapore, Synergy Maritime of Chennai, and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthick Nair.

According to prosecutors, the charges include conspiracy, failure to immediately inform the US Coast Guard about a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, false statements, and pollution-related offences.

Earlier this year, Maryland also received a $350 million insurance payout from ACE, part of Chubb, which was the full limit under the state’s bridge insurance policy.

US Representative Johnny Olszewski said the settlement would help speed up rebuilding work by avoiding a lengthy trial process.

He also said the state would continue pursuing damages from Hyundai Heavy Industries and stressed that accountability efforts were still ongoing, including for the families of the six workers who lost their lives in the collapse.

The legal proceedings linked to the Baltimore bridge disaster are still continuing, with both criminal cases and claims against the shipbuilder remaining unresolved.

References: WBALTV, The Hindu