Operator of ship involved in Baltimore's Key Bridge collapse faces federal charges: "Violation of international law"
Maryland and federal officials announced charges Tuesday against the operator of the container ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
The Justice Department's Environmental and Natural Resources Division and the U.S. Attorney for Maryland announced the indictment Tuesday, charging the operator of the ship Dali — Synergy Maritime Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited — and employee Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, with conspiracy, obstruction, and violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act.
WJZ has requested statements from Synergy and Karthik Nair.
Charges against ship operator
The ship lost power nearly four times in the hours before the crash, a previous National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) investigation found.
On Tuesday, officials said the ship regained power after the first blackout due to redundancies that were installed. However, according to the indictment, the ship was using a flushing pump at the time, which does not have redundancies.
The indictment alleges that if the Dali had been using the proper fuel supply pumps, the vessel would have been able to regain power and safely navigate under the bridge.
"As alleged in the indictment, the use of the flushing pump, a non-redundant fuel supply pump, was a hazardous condition under U.S. Coast Guard regulation and a violation of international law," said Kelly O. Hayes, U.S. Attorney for Maryland.
According to the indictment, the operators of the Dali used the flushing pump for fuel supply on at least three of its other vessels. Employees knew about the pump and the risks, according to court documents.
The indictment claims that employees, including Karthik Nair, tried to hide the use of the pump on the Dali before and after the crash. Employees allegedly fabricated safety inspections and certifications related to systems on the vessel, providing those false documents to the NTSB and a federal grand jury in Baltimore.
The crash and collapse of the Key Bridge also resulted in major environmental impacts, as massive pieces of the bridge, vehicles, cargo containers, debris and oil entered the water, according to Adam Gustafson, with the Justice Department's Environmental and Natural Resources Division
The bridge collapse occurred in the Patapsco River, part of the Chesapeake Bay watershed.
"Following the laws for the safe operation of commercial vessels is essential to doing business in our nation's ports," Gustafson said. "Especially the Port of Baltimore on the Chesapeake Bay, our largest estuary."
NTSB investigation
The announcement comes nearly six months after an NTSB investigation found that a loose wire on the container ship Dali may have led to the power outage and eventual collision with the Key Bridge in March 2024.
Six construction workers died after the 948-foot ship lost power and crashed into the bridge, causing it to collapse into the Patapsco River.
The investigation also found that thermal scanners, which may have detected the loose connection, were not used during routine maintenance.
Key Bridge rebuild effort
Tuesday's announcement also comes weeks after Maryland faced challenges in its ongoing effort to rebuild the Key Bridge.
In early May, the state dropped construction company Kiewit as a contractor due to high costs. State lawmakers later revealed the company's services could have cost up to $9 billion. In August 2024, the state gave the company a $73 million contract for the design and construction phases of the project.
In November 2025, state transportation officials updated the estimated cost and timeline for the project, saying it would cost about $4.3 to $5.2 billion, rather than the initial $2 billion estimate. Officials also said the bridge would be completed in 2030 rather than 2028.
