The United States Department of Justice on Tuesday filed criminal charges against a Singapore-based shipping company and its affiliates over alleged safety failures linked to the deadly collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in 2024.
Federal prosecutors charged Synergy Marine Pte Ltd, its Chennai-based affiliate Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, and technical superintendent Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair in connection with the crash involving the cargo vessel MV Dali, which slammed into the bridge on March 26, 2024, killing six construction workers.
According to the indictment unsealed in federal court in Maryland, prosecutors alleged that the companies failed to maintain proper safety systems aboard the Dali and concealed known hazardous conditions from US authorities. The Justice Department said the defendants were charged with conspiracy, obstruction of an agency proceeding, false statements and failure to immediately inform the US Coast Guard about critical safety issues.
Investigators said the cargo vessel suffered multiple electrical blackouts before crashing into a supporting column of the bridge after departing from the Port of Baltimore. Federal authorities alleged that improper fuel pump operations and unresolved electrical system defects contributed to the catastrophic loss of power and steering control aboard the ship.
The Justice Department described the collapse as a “preventable tragedy of enormous consequence.” Prosecutors estimated that the economic losses connected to the disaster could exceed $5 billion, including infrastructure damage, emergency response operations and long-term rebuilding costs.
The Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse disrupted one of the busiest shipping routes on the US East Coast and temporarily halted operations at the Port of Baltimore, triggering major economic and logistical disruptions. Investigations by the National Transportation Safety Board previously identified electrical failures and safety management concerns aboard the vessel.
US authorities said further proceedings in the criminal case are expected in the coming weeks. Representatives of Synergy Marine had not publicly responded to the charges at the time of reporting.