Annapolis, MD — The owners of the Dali cargo ship that struck and destroyed the Francis Scott Key Bridge last year are now blaming the ship’s manufacturer, claiming a defective switchboard caused the catastrophic power outage that led to the fatal collision.
In a new lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and Synergy Marine PTE Ltd. are suing Hyundai Heavy Industries (HHI) — the company that built the vessel — for alleged negligence and defective design.
“As a result of the defectively designed Switchboard, the Vessel suffered a power outage that led to the allision with the Key Bridge,” the owners allege in the complaint.
Allegations of Faulty Design and Manufacturing
The lawsuit claims that HHI’s switchboard — a critical component of the ship’s electrical system — was manufactured in a way that left it “unreasonably dangerous” when it left the company’s control. Specifically, the ship owners argue that signal wiring connections were not secure, allowing them to loosen under normal operation.
“HHI’s defective manufacture of the Switchboard and Vessel caused the signal wiring to come loose in normal operation, resulting in the power outage that led to the allision,” the suit reads.
As of now, Hyundai Heavy Industries has not responded publicly, and court records show no listed legal representative for the company.
March 2023 Collision Shuts Down Key Infrastructure
On March 26, 2023, the Dali was departing Baltimore en route to Sri Lanka when it suffered a power failure and lost steering control. It collided with a support column of the 1.6-mile-long Francis Scott Key Bridge, causing a full collapse that killed six road crew workers and shut down the Port of Baltimore for months.
The incident had massive regional impacts, including prolonged traffic congestion and millions in economic losses.
Federal Government and NTSB Findings
This new lawsuit comes months after the U.S. Department of Justice filed its own claim against the ship’s owners, seeking to recover over $100 million spent clearing underwater debris and reopening the port. That case was settled for $102 million.
In that case, the DOJ accused the ship owners of ignoring known electrical issues, including “excessive vibrations” that were interfering with onboard systems.
The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) also reported that the Dali experienced electrical blackouts 10 hours before leaving the port, and again just before hitting the bridge. Those early indicators may have been related to the same switchboard now being cited in this week’s lawsuit.
Demolition Continues, Replacement Bridge Years Away
Meanwhile, demolition crews are continuing work to dismantle the bridge’s collapsed remains. Maryland officials recently toured the site, where massive saws and heavy equipment are being used to remove large sections of twisted steel and concrete.
A replacement bridge is in the works, but officials say it likely won’t open until 2028.
“We’re still years away from fully restoring what was lost,” one state official said during last week’s update.
As legal battles unfold in federal court, the disaster continues to raise questions about maritime safety, ship maintenance oversight, and the responsibility of global manufacturers in the wake of high-impact failures.
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