Federal authorities, including the FBI and the US Coast Guard Investigative Services, boarded the Maersk Saltoro container ship in Baltimore as part of a court-authorised law enforcement operation. The 9,962 TEU Post Panamax vessel is a sister vessel of Dali, which was responsible for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, and is managed by the same company, Synergy Marine Private Ltd.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Coast Guard Investigative Services are present aboard the Maersk Saltoro conducting court authorised law enforcement activity,” the Associated Press reported, citing statements from the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office.

The 2015-built vessel was boarded on September 21 while in Baltimore and was reportedly allowed to continue its journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka. According to Marine Traffic, the ship remains moored in Baltimore.

A Synergy Marine spokesperson confirmed to WorldCargo News that the FBI and Coast Guard boarded the Maersk Saltoro in the port of Baltimore Saturday morning.  

“After they left the vessel, cargo operations resumed,” the statement said.

The development follows a lawsuit filed by the US Justice Department, which alleges that Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the owner of Dali, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, overlooked known electrical issues on the vessel. The power outage that occurred moments before the Dali crashed into a bridge support column is at the heart of the allegations. The lawsuit, filed on September 18 in the US District Court for the District of Maryland, seeks over US$ 100 million in damages and recovery costs related to the incident.

Meanwhile, after undergoing repairs in the Hampton Roads area the Dali has left the Port of Virginia heading for China. However, video footage of the vessel still shows considerable damage on the ship’s bow, which is scheduled to be fixed in China.

Federal authorities, including the FBI and the US Coast Guard Investigative Services, boarded the Maersk Saltoro container ship in Baltimore as part of a court-authorised law enforcement operation. The 9,962 TEU Post Panamax vessel is a sister vessel of Dali, which was responsible for the collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in March 2024, and is managed by the same company, Synergy Marine Private Ltd.

“The Federal Bureau of Investigation, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Criminal Investigation Division and Coast Guard Investigative Services are present aboard the Maersk Saltoro conducting court authorised law enforcement activity,” the Associated Press reported, citing statements from the FBI and the US Attorney’s Office.

The 2015-built vessel was boarded on September 21 while in Baltimore and was reportedly allowed to continue its journey to Colombo, Sri Lanka. According to Marine Traffic, the ship remains moored in Baltimore.

A Synergy Marine spokesperson confirmed to WorldCargo News that the FBI and Coast Guard boarded the Maersk Saltoro in the port of Baltimore Saturday morning.  

“After they left the vessel, cargo operations resumed,” the statement said.

The development follows a lawsuit filed by the US Justice Department, which alleges that Grace Ocean Private Ltd., the owner of Dali, and its manager, Synergy Marine Group, overlooked known electrical issues on the vessel. The power outage that occurred moments before the Dali crashed into a bridge support column is at the heart of the allegations. The lawsuit, filed on September 18 in the US District Court for the District of Maryland, seeks over US$ 100 million in damages and recovery costs related to the incident.

Meanwhile, after undergoing repairs in the Hampton Roads area the Dali has left the Port of Virginia heading for China. However, video footage of the vessel still shows considerable damage on the ship’s bow, which is scheduled to be fixed in China.