Families of Baltimore’s Key Bridge Collapse Victims Reach Settlement With Dali Owner & Operators

Families of the Baltimore Key Bridge Collapse victims have legally settled with the owners and operators of the M/V Dali container ship.

The incident led to the deaths of 6 construction workers after they were knocked into the Patapsco River while repairing portholes on the bridge.

One construction worker, Julio Cervantes, the only person to survive the collapse, was also included in the settlement.

Immigration advocacy group We Are CASA said that no monetary amount can replace the loved ones lost.

A civil trial is scheduled for June 1, 2026, to determine if the companies can limit their total liability to $44 million.

A judge denied the request of the ship’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Limited, and the operator, Synergy Marine Private Limited, regarding delaying the trial until a separate criminal trial is resolved or until employee witnesses are granted immunity to travel to the U.S.

The criminal indictment alleges that Synergy Marine Private Limited and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair violated the Ports and Waterways Safety Act by concealing dangerous ship conditions and falsifying reports.

NTSB investigators found the ship suffered 4 power outages before the crash, and the indictment reveals the company used an incorrect fuel pump that prevented the ship from regaining power before striking the bridge.

The Maryland Transportation Authority (MDTA) ended its contract with Kiewit in April after the company’s $9 billion estimate exceeded the state’s expected $4.3 billion to $5.2 billion budget.

The MDTA is now seeking new contractors divided across four project sections.

The contract valued between $3.5 billion and $4 billion will cover the over-the-water section.

The remaining three contracts include $300 million to $400 million for the south over-the-land portion, $200 million to $300 million for the north over-the-land portion, and $50 million to $100 million to demolish the old structure’s remnants.

Fully funded by the federal government via a 2024 spending bill, the new bridge will span over two miles, have two 12-foot lanes in each direction, offer 230 feet of clearance above the federal channel, and possess a 100-year lifespan.

However, due to the contractor change and rising costs, the projected completion date has been pushed from the fall of 2028 to the end of 2030.