Federal agents recently boarded a vessel linked to the company that managed a cargo ship involved in a fatal bridge collapse in Baltimore. The FBI, along with the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland, confirmed that authorities conducted a search on the Maersk Saltoro, managed by Synergy Marine Group. The operation involved the Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and Coast Guard Investigative Services.
The raid on the Maersk Saltoro comes following a similar search on the Dali, the cargo ship responsible for the bridge collapse. According to a recent lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department, the owner and manager of the Dali, Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine of Singapore, allegedly disregarded safety protocols and neglected known electrical issues on the vessel. The lawsuit claims that the ship’s mechanical and electrical systems were inadequately maintained, leading to multiple power failures that ultimately caused the tragic incident on the Francis Scott Key Bridge.
Six members of a construction crew lost their lives in the bridge collapse, which also disrupted commercial shipping activity at the Port of Baltimore for an extended period. The Justice Department is pursuing over $100 million in damages to cover the costs of debris removal and port reopening. The lawsuit seeks punitive damages and aims to hold the vessel owners and operators accountable for their alleged negligence.
In response to the recent search on the Maersk Saltoro, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean confirmed the authorities’ presence onboard the vessel in Baltimore. Investigations revealed significant issues with the Dali’s electrical system, including poor maintenance and reports of vibrations that could have compromised the wiring. The vessel had experienced power outages even while docked in Baltimore, events that were allegedly not reported to the Coast Guard as required.
The Dali, which was stuck in the aftermath of the bridge collapse, recently departed for China on its first international voyage since the incident. The Justice Department has not disclosed whether a criminal investigation into the bridge collapse is ongoing, following earlier searches conducted by the FBI.
