DOJ Files $100 Million Lawsuit Over Cargo Ship That Hit Baltimore Bridge

In the complaint, the DOJ accused the owner and operator of negligence, saying the vessel was in ‘unseaworthy condition.’

In an aerial view, salvage crews remove wreckage from the cargo ship Dali after it struck and collapsed the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore Harbor, Md., on April 9, 2024. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images

The Department of Justice (DOJ) has filed a lawsuit against the owner and manager of the cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore in March in a bid to recover more than $100 million that authorities spent to clear the debris from the bridge collapse and reopen the port.

The lawsuit, announced on Sept. 18 by the DOJ, alleges that the cargo ship Dali suffered from technical problems because of bad maintenance and improper configuration, causing the vessel to lose power and veer off course before striking the bridge. The subsequent collapse left six people dead.