MV Dali departs the US for repairs planned in China

BALTIMORE : The MV Dali containership, which caused the collapse of Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge in March, has departed American waters and is headed to Ningbo, China, for extensive repairs.

The vessel left Norfolk, Virginia, escorted by the US Coast Guard and three tugs, carrying no cargo, with the journey expected to take 46 days. The US Department of Justice has filed a $103 million civil claim against the ship’s owner and manager, Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, alleging negligence and unseaworthy conditions that led to the accident, which resulted in the loss of six lives and halted port operations for months.

Legal proceedings are anticipated to last for years and involve multiple lawsuits, including claims from the families of the victims.