New bill by Georgia's Hank Johnson could force ship owner to pay up to $854M for Baltimore bridge collapse
Following the catastrophic collapse earlier this year of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge upon impact with a vessel, U.S. Rep. Hank Johnson, D-Ga., is co-sponsoring a bill to increase the limit on the ship owner’s liability for the disaster.
Currently, ship owners can petition in federal court to cap liability for such events at the cost of the ship and its cargo, excluding expenses. Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd., which owns the ship named Dali, and the vessel’s manager Synergy Marine Group filed a joint petition in April to cap their monetary liability for the collapse at $43.7 million.
The “Justice for Victims of Foreign Vessel Accidents Act,” introduced by Johnson and U.S. Rep. John Garamendi, D-Ca. in the House on Tuesday, would increase the maximum liability for foreign-flagged ships to up to 10 times the combined cost of the ship and its cargo, excluding expenses. The bill would apply retroactively starting the day before the bridge disaster. If passed, Grace Ocean could pay up to $854 million in damages for the collapse.
“This is a crucial step toward ensuring accountability in maritime liability,” Johnson said in a Thursday press release. “By enhancing the financial responsibilities of foreign vessel owners, this bill provides essential support to victims and their families in reinforcing our resolve to uphold justice following tragic maritime incidents.”
The act would not change the liability limit for U.S.-flagged vessels. It aims to enforce a higher liability ceiling for foreign-flagged vessels.
On March 26, the Dali cargo ship struck the Key Bridge, causing it to crash into the Patapsco River. Six construction workers died in the collapse.
A National Transportation Safety Board investigation found that the Dali lost power twice before sailing from the Port of Baltimore, and it also lost power right before it struck the bridge. The board has not found a cause for the outages.
In a joint statement, attorneys for the people affected by the bridge collapse said the victims’ families support Johnson and Garamendi’s bill.
“This legislation protects all Americans from having their lives shattered by corporate vessels from foreign countries due to preventable failures,” the statement read. “This issue is not about whether you are a Democrat or a Republican; it is about whether you love and want to protect Americans. That is why both parties should support this bill and help protect our country when foreign vessels are involved.”
Johnson is part of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure and the House Judiciary Committee.
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