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 an employee with conspiracy, obstruction, and violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act.
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.
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.
