“None Of This Should’ve Happened”: Baltimore Takes Container Ship Owner & Manager To Court Over Bridge CollapseĀ
Baltimore City filed a lawsuit against theĀ owner and operator of the container shipĀ that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, causing it toĀ collapse.Ā
Attorneys for Baltimore’s mayor and City Council claim the bridge collapse was caused by “negligence of the vessel’s crew and shoreside management,” according to theĀ Washington Post.Ā
In the early morning hours of March 26, theĀ Dali, a 213-million-pound container ship owned by Grace Ocean Private Limited and managed by Synergy Marine PTE LTD., lost power and slammed into one of the main pillars of the 1.6-mile longĀ Key Bridge, instantlyĀ crumpling the bridge and blocking the only shipping channel in and out of the Port of Baltimore.Ā
“The Dali slammed into the bridge, causing the bridge’s immediate collapse, killing at least six individuals, destroying Baltimore property, and bringing the region’s primary economic engine to a grinding halt,” the city said in court filings.Ā
“None of this should have happened,” the attorneys said, adding,Ā “Reporting has indicated that, evenĀ before leaving port, alarms showing an inconsistent power supply on the Dali had sounded.Ā The Dali leftĀ port anyway, despite itsĀ clearlyĀ unseaworthy condition.”
Earlier this month, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine submitted a request in federal court to cap their potential liability at $43.6 million. Baltimore on Monday requested that the court dismiss the companies’ petition to limit liability.
The court filing also called the crew of the Dali “incompetent”Ā and lacked proper skill or training, adding they were “inattentive to their duties” and “failed to comply with local navigation customs.”
The source of the “inconsistent power supply” has yet to be identified, and the Federal Bureau of Investigation and the US Coast Guard have launched aĀ criminal investigation into the crash.Ā
Meanwhile, the city of Baltimore failed to installĀ fender systems to prevent ships from crashing into the bridge. These fenders could have prevented the collapse.Ā
Why did the city, county, or whoever manages the bridge fail to install fender systems? Were progressive lawmakers in the city and state too distracted with their socialist agenda to focus on upgrading critical infrastructure?Ā
Tyler Durden
Thu, 04/25/2024 – 12:45
ZeroHedge News
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