Baltimore Alleges DALI was Unfit for Sea
The city of Baltimore has submitted a petition in the US District Court in Maryland, arguing that the owners and managers of the 9,662 TEU DALI, which collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, should not be allowed to limit their liability due to evidence of fault. According to court documents, the city’s lawyers assert that the bridge collapse resulted from the “negligence of the vessel’s crew and shoreside management,” and that the ship was not fit for sea when it departed port. The petition references various issues, including an Associated Press report from April 15, which stated that alarms on the DALI’s refrigerated containers went off while the ship was docked in Baltimore. Additionally, the petition raises concerns about crew training and operational procedures conducted by the owners and operators. Earlier this month, the DALI’s owner, Grace Ocean Private Ltd, and manager, Synergy Marine PTE LTD, filed a petition in federal court seeking a USD 43.6 million cap on potential liability payouts. Baltimore’s petition aims to oppose this request.
