US Justice Department charges maritime firms and supervisor over Baltimore Key Bridge collapse

The U.S. Justice Department has filed a federal indictment against two maritime companies—Synergy Marine Pte Ltd of Singapore and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd of Chennai, India—and their technical superintendent, Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, a 47‑year‑old Indian national. The charges include conspiracy, willful failure to inform the Coast Guard of a known hazardous condition, obstruction of an agency proceeding, and false statements.

The indictment stems from the March 2021 incident in which the container ship Dali struck the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore, Maryland, causing its collapse, killing six highway workers, and halting traffic to one of the nation’s largest ports. Investigators say the companies fabricated safety inspections and certifications, and misrepresented the vessel’s condition, including reliance on a flushing pump that failed to restart after a blackout, leading to loss of propulsion.

The Department of Justice emphasized that the alleged conduct deliberately cut safety corners, contributing to the fatal crash. A separate civil trial is scheduled for June 1 involving the ship’s owner and operator. The NTSB’s earlier report highlighted a loose wire and structural risks that were not evaluated by the Maryland Transportation Authority.