WASHINGTON – The proprietor and operator of the cargo vessel responsible for the bridge disaster in Baltimore have reached an agreement to pay over $100 million to resolve a lawsuit filed by the Department of Justice, according to official announcements on Thursday.

The settlement agreement follows a lawsuit initiated by the Justice Department against Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the ship’s owner, and Synergy Marine Group, the management firm, both based in Singapore. The suit sought to reclaim over $100 million that the federal government incurred to remove debris from the water and to restore operations at the port.

“This agreement ensures that the expenses related to the federal cleanup efforts in the Fort McHenry Channel will be covered by Grace Ocean and Synergy, alleviating the financial burden from American taxpayers,” stated Principal Deputy Associate Attorney General Benjamin Mizer.

The Department of Justice claimed that the Dali’s electrical and mechanical systems were not properly maintained, leading to a power failure that caused the vessel to drift off course and ultimately collide with a support column of the Francis Scott Key Bridge back in March.

The incident significantly disrupted commercial shipping activity at the Port of Baltimore for several months until the channel was fully reopened in June.