As part of the settlement, Grace Ocean Private Limited and Synergy Marine Private Limited – two Singaporean companies – will pay nearly $102 million to resolve a civil claim alleging that the companies’ cost-cutting and negligence in the ship’s maintenance led to the disastrous collision. The settlement comes more than six months after the 213-million-pound cargo vessel lost power and slammed into the bridge, resulting in the deaths of six construction workers.
“Nearly seven months after one of the worst transportation disasters in recent memory, which claimed six lives and caused untold damage, we have reached an important milestone with today’s settlement,” Benjamin Mizer, the Justice Department’s principal deputy associate attorney general, said in a statement.