DOJ Indicts Operators in Key Bridge Collapse

The U.S. Justice Department announced on Tuesday that a grand jury indicted two foreign operators—Synergy Marine Pte Ltd based in Singapore and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd based in Chennai, India—and Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, an Indian national serving as the technical superintendent for both companies, in connection with the March 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge. The bridge collapsed after the 984-foot cargo ship Dali struck a support pier while navigating out of Baltimore Harbor, killing six construction workers and causing at least $5 billion in damage.

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) found that a single loose wire in the electrical system caused a breaker to unexpectedly open, leading to two vessel blackouts and loss of propulsion on the Dali. The indictment alleges that the defendants improperly used a flushing pump to supply fuel to two of the ship’s generators instead of proper fuel supply pumps with redundancies.

The Justice Department said if the Dali had been using appropriate fuel supply pumps, it would have regained power in time to safely navigate under the bridge. The companies and Nair were charged with conspiracy to defraud the United States, willfully failing to inform the U.S. Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, false statements, and causing the death of six construction workers.

The indictment further alleges that Nair falsely told the NTSB he was unaware that the Dali was using the flushing pump to supply fuel. Investigators found evidence of similar practices on other ships operated by Synergy, including another blackout incident involving the M/V Maersk Saltoro in December 2022.

The companies have previously settled with the federal government and the state of Maryland for more than $100 million but continue to face additional civil claims expected to go to trial this summer. The bridge is not expected to be open to traffic until late 2030, with repair costs estimated between $4.3 billion and $5.2 billion.

According to the Los Angeles Times, the collapse halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore, disrupted the livelihoods of thousands, rerouted road traffic through communities already bearing disproportionate burdens, and triggered economic problems statewide. The bridge was a vital piece of transportation infrastructure that allowed drivers to easily bypass downtown Baltimore.

Lawyers representing four of the six men who died in the collapse expressed outrage over Synergy Marine's alleged misconduct. L. Chris Stewart, whose firm represents victims' families and the sole survivor Julio Cervantes Suarez, told WJZ Investigator Mike Hellgren that clients are seeking justice after more than two years.

The civil trial to determine liability is set for June 1 in Baltimore, with arguments to be presented before Judge James K. Bredar. The trial is expected to last 18 days. Both Synergy Marine and the Dali's owner Grace Ocean have argued they should not be held fully liable, citing an 1851 law limiting liability to the ship's value.

The federal indictment accuses Synergy Marine of knowingly misleading investigators by covering up its use of a manual flushing pump. The U.S. Attorney in Maryland stated this caused the Dali's second blackout and subsequent collision with the bridge. FBI Special Agent Jimmy Paul told reporters that defendants falsely claimed the ship was in good working order.

Attorneys revealed that the captain of the Dali pleaded the Fifth during depositions, as did other crew members from the engine control room. Nair remains in India while U.S. authorities pursue extradition. Investigators found illegal flushing pumps on the Dali and two sister ships.

Synergy Marine issued a statement calling the charges 'baseless' and claiming they are inconsistent with NTSB findings. The company accused the DOJ of criminalizing a tragic accident. Nair's attorney David Gerger stated that his client thinks about the accident daily but did not cause it.