Federal agents raid vessel tied to Baltimore bridge collapse

Federal agents boarded a vessel managed by the same company responsible for the Baltimore bridge collapse, the FBI confirmed on Saturday.

Authorities, including the FBI, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division, and Coast Guard Investigative Services, boarded the Maersk Saltoro. This vessel is managed by Synergy Marine Group.

Statements from the FBI and the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Maryland mentioned court-authorised law enforcement activity but provided no further details. The Washington Post initially reported the federal authorities’ boarding of the ship.

This raid follows a similar search carried out months ago on the Dali, the cargo ship involved in the bridge crash.

BREAKING: Ship collides with Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, causing it to collapse pic.twitter.com/OcOrSjOCRn

— BNO News (@BNONews) March 26, 2024

A lawsuit filed by the U.S. Justice Department on Wednesday accused Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine of negligence. The companies allegedly ignored known electrical issues on the Dali, which lost power multiple times before crashing into a support column on the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March.

According to the Justice Department, the ship’s mechanical and electrical systems had been poorly maintained, leading to power outages and other failures. The ship was headed to Sri Lanka from Baltimore when the steering malfunctioned due to power loss.

The bridge collapse resulted in the deaths of six road workers and disrupted commercial shipping traffic in Baltimore for months. The channel was fully reopened in June.

The Justice Department seeks to recover over US$100 million spent to clear the underwater debris and reopen the port. The companies filed a petition to limit their liability, but the Justice Department aims to contest this.

The lawsuit also seeks punitive damages, arguing that vessel owners and operators must be deterred from reckless behaviour. Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine continue to operate vessels, including a sister ship to the Dali, in U.S. waters, benefiting economically from these activities.

FBI agents boarded vessel managed by company whose other cargo ship collapsed Baltimore bridge | Click on the image to read the full story https://t.co/YiA8rfceP5

— WLWT (@WLWT) September 22, 2024

Darrell Wilson, a spokesperson for Grace Ocean, confirmed the boarding of the Maersk Saltoro. He stated that the owner and manager look forward to setting the record straight in court.

The Singapore-flagged Saltoro, like the Dali, was built by Hyundai in 2015. Issues with the Dali’s electrical system may have stemmed from excessive vibrations loosening wires and damaging connections. A former captain had reported “heavy vibration” in May 2023, noting previous similar reports to Synergy.

The lawsuit also mentioned cracked equipment in the engine room and loose cargo. An independent agency halted further electrical testing due to the poor condition of the ship’s electrical equipment. Power outages occurred while the ship was docked in Baltimore, which were not reported to the U.S. Coast Guard as required.

The Dali, stuck in the wreckage for months, departed Norfolk, Virginia, on Thursday en route to China on its first international journey since the March 26 disaster.

Justice Department officials declined to comment on whether the criminal investigation into the bridge collapse is ongoing. FBI agents had boarded the Dali in April.