The Singaporean company that owns the cargo ship that collided with the Francis Scott Key Bridge last week took steps Monday to limit its liability for the accident.
The Dali, a 984-foot-long vessel carrying shipping containers, struck one of the Key Bridge’s support columns around 1:30 a.m. Tuesday, causing the tragic collapse. Six people are presumed dead, and a salvage operation is underway to clear debris and recover the bodies of the four victims that have not yet been located.
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The six-page, preemptive filing in the U.S. District Court in Baltimore from Grace Ocean Private Limited, and the manager of the ship, Synergy Marine Group, is potentially in anticipation of a wave of civil lawsuits or a Justice Department civil complaint.
The company, represented by a group of attorneys from Baltimore and Washington, asks the court to “issue an order enjoining the commencement of or further prosecution of any claims or causes of action against Petitioners except in this action” and that the court “determine that Petitioners are not liable for any loss or damage arising out of the Casualty.”
That’s if it was insured.
Worldwide maritime laws are a fucking byzantine hot mess, so there’s no guarantee it was insured.
Honestly, imo the best thing to do is have individual harbors create rules that force ships to have insurance if they want to dock there. No insurance = zero docking privileges.
Works for the medical system…
So many comments early on argued on what would be somewhat logical. While Maritime law to me seems anything but logical. I like your summary of those laws!