Owners of container ship that crashed into bridge Francis Scott Key in Baltimore, were ordered to pay the US government more than $100 million in restitution. This was reported by the BBC, citing the US Department of Justice.
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited, the companies that owned and operated the Dali vessel, agreed to pay, resolving a month-long civil case. The payment will go to the US Treasury and other federal agencies directly affected by the collision.
"This is a tremendous result that fully compensates the United States for the costs it has incurred in response to this disaster and holds the owner and operator of Dali accountable," said Brian Boynton, head of the Department of Justice's civil division.
The department said the settlement does not include any damages for the reconstruction of the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The state has brought its own claim for these damages.
The US blamed the incident on failures in the ship's electrical and mechanical systems. The Dali was allegedly inadequately maintained, causing the ship to lose power and crash into a bridge column. Six men, construction workers repairing potholes on the bridge, died when they were submerged after the container ship hit the structure.
The Dali collision froze traffic for months at one of the busiest ports in the US. The US coordinated dozens of federal, state and local agencies to remove 50,000 tons of steel, concrete and asphalt from the ship channel and from Daly.
The bridge collapse also caused "economic devastation" as shipping was halted. The port of Baltimore was reopened in June to commercial navigation. The incident also blocked a key road for local commuters.