A federal judge agreed Monday to delay a civil trial in the 2024 collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge after a series of last-minute settlements resolved most remaining claims.
U.S. District Judge James Bredar expressed frustration with the timing of last week’s settlement, which included an agreement to resolve all outstanding claims related to the deaths of six construction workers. In the early morning of March 26, 2024, workers were filling potholes when the container ship “Dali” lost power and hit the bridge.
Nearly all of the outstanding claims allege financial losses to businesses and local governments. None of the remaining parties has called for the trial to start as scheduled this week.
Breidal, who was nominated to the bench by Democratic President Barack Obama, is scheduled to hear opening arguments from his attorneys on Monday in a trial expected to last about five weeks. He postponed proceedings indefinitely to consider legal arguments that could lead to further settlements and possibly end the proceedings without a trial.
Working families reach settlement with other parties over Baltimore bridge tragedy claims
Breidal said he was “very frustrated” but acknowledged that civil cases often settle on the eve of trial.
“It’s not just about one side or the other. It takes two to tango,” Breda said. “I’m dismayed on behalf of the public (and) the court.”
Details of the settlement for the construction workers’ families have not been publicly disclosed.
Less than two weeks ago, Breidal rejected an earlier request to delay the trial following the filing of criminal charges against the company that manages Dali.
On May 12, prosecutors from the Ministry of Justice announced the filing of criminal charges against Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. in Singapore and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd. in Chennai, India.
The operator of the Dali and its technical director were charged with conspiracy, misconduct resulting in death, failure to immediately notify the U.S. Coast Guard of a hazardous situation, obstruction of the National Transportation Safety Board and making false statements.
The criminal complaint accuses the vessel operator of knowingly relying on improper fuel pumps and then lying to investigators.
Synergy Marine accused prosecutors of improperly treating the accident as a crime and said it would “vigorously” defend itself against the indictment’s “inaccurate” allegations.
“This was a marine accident that should be evaluated by the full factual, technical and regulatory record, not by selective mischaracterizations in a criminal indictment,” the company said in a statement last month.
In April, the state of Maryland, Synergy Marine and Singaporean shipowner Grace Ocean Private Limited announced a $2.25 billion settlement. Grace Ocean has not been charged with any crime related to the collapse.
The list of claimants with unsettled claims includes the city of Baltimore, which filed a claim for economic losses as a result of the bridge’s destruction. The city joined the companies in asking for the trial to be postponed.
Top Photo: Reporters follow attorneys leaving the Edward A. Gamatz U.S. District Court as a judge postpones the civil trial in the fatal 2024 Francis Scott Key Bridge collapse, Monday, June 1, 2026, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
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