M/V DALI Owners Sue Shipbuilder Over Baltimore Bridge Collapse: Shifting Liability Upstream
Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine PTE Ltd filed suit against Hyundai Heavy Industries at the end of July in the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. Represented by attorneys Blank Rome and Duane Morris, the plaintiffs are asserting that the March 26th 2024 collision wasn’t just an operational failure, but the result of defective vessel design. This shift in legal strategy focuses on the vessel’s manufacturer, alleging this design defect led to one of the most devastating maritime disasters in recent U.S. history.
According to the lawsuit, vessel manufacturer Hyundai Heavy Industries “defectively designed the switchboard in such a manner that wiring connections were not secure, could not be verified as secure, and could lose [electrical] connection during normal operation.” These defects allegedly caused a cascade of system failures, causing the M/V DALI to experience two power outages during departure which resulted in the vessel colliding into the bridge.
This is consistent with preliminary findings from the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), with the NTSB attributing the first blackout to “unexpected tripping of the breakers” –language that may prove crucial in determining whether the failures were due to design defects.
In addition to the extensive damage, the bridge collapse 
claimed six lives. As a vital shipping and transportation hub, the operations of the Port of Baltimore were thrown into chaos and severely affected for months.
The cleanup effort itself confirmed the scale of the disaster, with federal agencies coordinating the removal of approximately 50,000 tons of debris from the shipping channel.
A Pattern of Legal Strategy
Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine previously agreed to pay $102 million in October 2024 to resolve civil claims brought by the U.S. government for disaster response costs.
Now, by pursuing claims against the shipbuilder after settling with the government, the vessel owners are seeking to shift liability to the manufacturer while potentially recovering their settlement costs and additional damages.
The vessel owners are seeking both direct damages for vessel repairs and restitution for third-party claims. If the claims are successful, Hyundai Heavy Industries could be held responsible for the full economic impact of the disaster.
The ongoing NTSB investigation will play a crucial role in the case, as technical findings about the cause of the electrical failures will determine the strength of the plaintiffs’ design defect claims.
We at the Herd Law Firm are proud to fight for seamen, maritime workers and passengers in all types of personal injury and death claims. As maritime personal injury attorneys (and sailors ourselves!) located in northwest Houston, we never waver in our commitment to help these maritime workers, passengers, and their families when they are injured or mistreated.
8/6/2025
Sources: NTSB.org,
