The entities responsible for the container ship Dali, which collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore on March 26th, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers and a blockage at the Port of Baltimore, have agreed to a nearly $102 million payout with the U.S. government. The Justice Department revealed that Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the Singaporean owner and operator of the Dali, will pay$101,980,000 to settle the government’s civil claim linked to the emergency response and cleanup after the bridge’s collapse.

The Dali, having departed from Baltimore shortly after midnight, experienced power failures and struck the bridge, causing a section to fall into the Patapsco River, blocking the channel and halting port traffic. The incident severed a vital transport route. The combined efforts of federal, state, and local agencies led to the removal of debris and the temporary rerouting of traffic until the channel was cleared on June 10th.

This settlement marks the beginning of a lengthy legal process and does not account for the bridge’s reconstruction costs, estimated by Maryland to be up to $1.9 billion over four years. The ship’s owners and operators face potential multi-billion-dollar claims.

In response to the lawsuit, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine stated their ongoing cooperation with the government and emphasized that the settlement only covers channel-clearing costs they would have been liable for regardless. They deny responsibility for the bridge collapse and are prepared to defend themselves in federal court proceedings, asserting their innocence in the incident.