Cargo ship’s owner and manager seek to limit legal liability for deadly bridge disaster in Baltimore

By MICHAEL KUNZELMAN and REBECCA BOONE
Associated Press

The owner and manager of a cargo ship that rammed into Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge before it collapsed are seeking to limit their legal liability for the deadly disaster. The two Singapore-based companies filed what’s known as a “limitation of liability” petition Monday. The filing is a routine but important procedure for cases litigated under U.S. maritime law. Grace Ocean Private Ltd. owns the Dali, the vessel that lost power before it slammed into the bridge last Tuesday. Synergy Marine Pte Ltd. is the ship’s manager. Their joint filing seeks to cap the companies’ liability at under $44 million.