Key Bridge case: Maryland, ship companies reach preliminary settlement

Brian Carlton, The Baltimore Sun on Apr 9, 2026

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BALTIMORE — Maryland officials said Thursday they have reached a settlement in principle with the owner and operator of the cargo ship involved in the 2024 collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge, resolving a portion of the state’s claims but stopping short of a final, binding agreement.

Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the agreement with Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Pte Ltd., which respectively own and operate the M/V Dali. The settlement addresses claims brought by the state and several of its agencies over the March 26, 2024 collision with the Key Bridge.

In his statement, Brown said the agreement covers claims filed on behalf of agencies including the Maryland Transportation Authority, Maryland Port Administration and Maryland Department of the Environment, but does not resolve potential claims against the shipbuilder, Hyundai.

A settlement in principle means the parties have agreed to the major terms of a deal, but are still working to finalize and formally execute a written agreement before it becomes legally binding.

“For two years, Maryland workers, families, and communities have carried the weight of a disaster that should never have happened,” Brown said in a statement. “Our work is not finished, but this settlement is an important step toward making Maryland whole.”

The Attorney General’s Office said the agreement is being finalized and declined further comment. There was no dollar figure or any further details announced about the proposal.

The collapse of the Key Bridge killed six construction workers, halted shipping at the Port of Baltimore and triggered widespread economic disruption across the region. The state’s lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in September 2024, alleged negligence and mismanagement in the operation of a vessel it said should not have been in service.

The announcement comes days after ACE American Insurance Company reached a $350 million settlement with Grace Ocean and Synergy, matching the amount ACE paid to Maryland shortly after the March 2024 collapse — the full limit of the state’s bridge insurance policy.

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