Ship owners filing lawsuit against shipbuilder due to vessel wreck
The port of Baltimore was closed for several months following a devastating accident involving the merchant vessel Dali in March 2024. The ship collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a 2.5-kilometer span to be destroyed and tragically resulting in the death of six roadwork crew members.
According to a lawsuit recently filed in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE Ltd, the owners and operator of the Dali, have accused Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) of negligence in the defective design of the ship’s electrical switchboard.
The complaint alleges that a loose wire at node 381 on the electrical switchboard caused a power outage at 1:25 a.m., leading to engine shutdown and loss of steering, with the collision occurring at 1:28 a.m. A National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) report from 2024 found a loose cable related to blackout detection that would not register on ship sensors when disconnected.
The owners allege that HHI was aware or should have been aware of the risk posed by loose wiring but failed to address it, making the switchboard and vessel unreasonably dangerous as delivered by HHI. Since April 2024, Grace Ocean Private and Synergy Marine have denied wrongdoing, focusing liability instead on HHI's manufacturing defects.
In a surprising turn of events, the ship's owner and manager agreed to pay over $102 million in cleanup fees to settle the government's lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice last year. The Department of Justice accused the ship's owner and manager of cutting corners and ignoring electrical problems with the ship.
Hyundai Heavy Industries could not be reached immediately for comment. The lawsuit is ongoing, with no public resolution or court decisions available as of early August 2025.
Maryland officials visited the site of the bridge demolition last week, and the new bridge is expected to open in 2028. The collision remains a stark reminder of the importance of safety and accountability in the design and maintenance of maritime vessels.
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- The ongoing lawsuit against Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) by Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE Ltd alleges that HHI's negligence in the design of the Dali's electrical switchboard led to a power outage, engine shutdown, and loss of steering, ultimately causing the collision that resulted in the closure of the port of Baltimore.
- The financial repercussions of the accident involving the Dali have extended beyond the cleanup costs, as the ship's owner and manager agreed to pay over $102 million to settle a government lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, which accused them of cutting corners and ignoring electrical problems with the ship, highlighting the importance of justice and accountability in the industry.
