by Diana Novak Jones at Reuters via Badlands Media
The U.S. government indicated for the first time on Wednesday that it may file a claim against the owner of the ship responsible for the March collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Baltimore.
In a letter submitted to U.S. District Judge James Bredar, Justice Department attorney Laine Goodhue said the government is among the “claimants and prospective claimants” negotiating with the ship’s registered owner, Grace Ocean, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group. These talks are focused on conducting inspections and testing on the vessel before it departs for China later this month.
Judge Bredar is overseeing the claims filed against the companies following the March 26 collapse of the bridge. The Justice Department has not commented on the case, and representatives for Synergy and Grace Ocean have also remained silent.
Baltimore maritime attorney Charles Simmons Jr., who is not involved in the case, told Reuters that it’s unclear what kind of claims the government might pursue. However, maritime law would likely limit them to recovering funds spent on clearing the channel after the bridge’s collapse or money the federal government provided for the bridge’s rebuilding.
The state of Maryland has estimated that rebuilding the bridge will cost between $1.7 billion and $1.9 billion.
The ship involved, currently in Norfolk, Virginia, is undergoing…
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