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巴尔的摩市起诉撞桥的“达利号”货船的船东和运营方

ELEANOR PRINGLE
2024-04-25

巴尔的摩港这个“经济引擎”被撞桥事件踩下“急刹车”。

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图片来源:KEVIN DIETSCH—GETTY IMAGES

上个月,一艘货轮撞上弗朗西斯·斯科特·基大桥,有6人已被推定罹难,巴尔的摩市市长和市议会已正式起诉这艘货船的船东和管理者。

3月26日,这艘高985英尺的货船撞上了大桥的桥墩,导致桥体坍塌,坠入了马里兰港口。

“达利号”货船在事故发生时载有4,700个集装箱,其船东为新加坡Grace Ocean私人有限公司(Grace Ocean Private Ltd.),管理方为Synergy Marine私人有限公司(Synergy Marine Pte Ltd.)。

这两家公司在周一被巴尔的摩市列为诉讼的被告。巴尔的摩市要求被告支付巨额赔偿,包括重建大桥的费用,还有与贸易损失、税收损失和公共福利支出等有关的成本。

《财富》杂志从起诉书中发现,Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine面临20多项与管理不善有关的指控,起诉书指出事故发生前,每天有数千艘船从桥下穿过。

起诉书中写道:“这次事故本不应该发生。有报告显示,早在‘达利号’货船离港之前,船上就响起过显示供电不稳定的警报。在明知其状况不适合航行的情况下,‘达利号’却还是离开了港口。”

“达利号”的目的地是斯里兰卡,但起诉书中表示,这艘货船在离开码头12分钟后,船载数据记录仪就收到了与断电有关的“多次声音警报”。

起诉书中还表示,虽然船上有备用发电机,但其功率不足以让货船恢复控制,导致货船以约7海里的速度撞上了大桥。

Grace Ocean与Synergy Marine试图根据美国内战前的一条保护规定,主张其责任不应超过4,367万美元,也就是说它们的责任上限为发生事故之后货船残骸的价值。

两家公司在四月初申请适用该责任限制条款,而且该条款还直接将它们的任何不当行为归类为事故。申请书中表示:“这起伤亡事故的原因并非申请方[Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine]、货船或申请方应对其行为负责的任何个人或实体的错误、疏忽或懈怠。”

申请书中还表示,即使有任何错误(申请方否认有任何错误),这些错误也是在“申请方不知情的情况下发生的”。

在事故发生后的几周和几个月内,Synergy Marine多次向事故中死难者的家庭表示哀悼。在4月2日的最新情况通报中,该公司表示:“在这段时间,我们的首要任务是保证船员的安全和健康。自从事故发生以来,我们一直在积极采取各种措施,为他们提供支持。”

但巴尔的摩市在几周后提起的诉讼,对这两家公司否认的内容予以严厉反驳。巴尔的摩市本周提交的起诉书称,两家公司为“达利号”安排的船员“不称职”并且“粗心大意”,他们缺乏在船上服役的必要技能和培训。

起诉书还指控两家公司为“货船提供的设备不适用于航海”,并且未能对船舶的发动机、系统和转向装置进行维护。

Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine的代表对《财富》杂志表示,调查仍在进行中,因此现在不宜对此发表评论。

“经济引擎急刹车”

巴尔的摩市市长和市议会已经驳回了两家航运公司的有限责任申请,要求法院驳回申请,并裁定两家公司“应对‘达利号’撞桥事故造成的所有损失负责”。

如果市长办公室的诉求得到支持,赔偿金额将远不止4,300万美元。

法院文件显示,巴尔的摩港2023年的收入超过700亿美元,而且在当地直接、间接和附带创造了51,365个就业岗位。

起诉书称,作为巴尔的摩市曾经的“可靠常数”,巴尔的摩港这个“经济引擎”在3月26日被“急刹车”。起诉书表示:“港口进口对本地经济的重要性不容忽视。”

因此,巴尔的摩市向两家船运公司开出了长长的账单。巴尔的摩市希望利用赔偿,支付桥梁设计、开发和重建费用,以及事故发生后帕塔普斯科河被堵塞的成本。

此外,该市要求被告赔偿巴尔的摩交通中断导致的损失,从桥梁转道其他公路产生的完善公路维护的费用,以及增加的警察/消防和其他公务人员加班的费用。

巴尔的摩市还主张两家公司承担所得税和财产税损失,以及事故发生后清理工作的费用。巴尔的摩市还要求对撞桥导致的妨害公共事件,以及因港口活动减少引起的“危险物质”堆积收取费用。(财富中文网)

译者:刘进龙

审校:汪皓

上个月,一艘货轮撞上弗朗西斯·斯科特·基大桥,有6人已被推定罹难,巴尔的摩市市长和市议会已正式起诉这艘货船的船东和管理者。

3月26日,这艘高985英尺的货船撞上了大桥的桥墩,导致桥体坍塌,坠入了马里兰港口。

“达利号”货船在事故发生时载有4,700个集装箱,其船东为新加坡Grace Ocean私人有限公司(Grace Ocean Private Ltd.),管理方为Synergy Marine私人有限公司(Synergy Marine Pte Ltd.)。

这两家公司在周一被巴尔的摩市列为诉讼的被告。巴尔的摩市要求被告支付巨额赔偿,包括重建大桥的费用,还有与贸易损失、税收损失和公共福利支出等有关的成本。

《财富》杂志从起诉书中发现,Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine面临20多项与管理不善有关的指控,起诉书指出事故发生前,每天有数千艘船从桥下穿过。

起诉书中写道:“这次事故本不应该发生。有报告显示,早在‘达利号’货船离港之前,船上就响起过显示供电不稳定的警报。在明知其状况不适合航行的情况下,‘达利号’却还是离开了港口。”

“达利号”的目的地是斯里兰卡,但起诉书中表示,这艘货船在离开码头12分钟后,船载数据记录仪就收到了与断电有关的“多次声音警报”。

起诉书中还表示,虽然船上有备用发电机,但其功率不足以让货船恢复控制,导致货船以约7海里的速度撞上了大桥。

Grace Ocean与Synergy Marine试图根据美国内战前的一条保护规定,主张其责任不应超过4,367万美元,也就是说它们的责任上限为发生事故之后货船残骸的价值。

两家公司在四月初申请适用该责任限制条款,而且该条款还直接将它们的任何不当行为归类为事故。申请书中表示:“这起伤亡事故的原因并非申请方[Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine]、货船或申请方应对其行为负责的任何个人或实体的错误、疏忽或懈怠。”

申请书中还表示,即使有任何错误(申请方否认有任何错误),这些错误也是在“申请方不知情的情况下发生的”。

在事故发生后的几周和几个月内,Synergy Marine多次向事故中死难者的家庭表示哀悼。在4月2日的最新情况通报中,该公司表示:“在这段时间,我们的首要任务是保证船员的安全和健康。自从事故发生以来,我们一直在积极采取各种措施,为他们提供支持。”

但巴尔的摩市在几周后提起的诉讼,对这两家公司否认的内容予以严厉反驳。巴尔的摩市本周提交的起诉书称,两家公司为“达利号”安排的船员“不称职”并且“粗心大意”,他们缺乏在船上服役的必要技能和培训。

起诉书还指控两家公司为“货船提供的设备不适用于航海”,并且未能对船舶的发动机、系统和转向装置进行维护。

Grace Ocean和Synergy Marine的代表对《财富》杂志表示,调查仍在进行中,因此现在不宜对此发表评论。

“经济引擎急刹车”

巴尔的摩市市长和市议会已经驳回了两家航运公司的有限责任申请,要求法院驳回申请,并裁定两家公司“应对‘达利号’撞桥事故造成的所有损失负责”。

如果市长办公室的诉求得到支持,赔偿金额将远不止4,300万美元。

法院文件显示,巴尔的摩港2023年的收入超过700亿美元,而且在当地直接、间接和附带创造了51,365个就业岗位。

起诉书称,作为巴尔的摩市曾经的“可靠常数”,巴尔的摩港这个“经济引擎”在3月26日被“急刹车”。起诉书表示:“港口进口对本地经济的重要性不容忽视。”

因此,巴尔的摩市向两家船运公司开出了长长的账单。巴尔的摩市希望利用赔偿,支付桥梁设计、开发和重建费用,以及事故发生后帕塔普斯科河被堵塞的成本。

此外,该市要求被告赔偿巴尔的摩交通中断导致的损失,从桥梁转道其他公路产生的完善公路维护的费用,以及增加的警察/消防和其他公务人员加班的费用。

巴尔的摩市还主张两家公司承担所得税和财产税损失,以及事故发生后清理工作的费用。巴尔的摩市还要求对撞桥导致的妨害公共事件,以及因港口活动减少引起的“危险物质”堆积收取费用。(财富中文网)

译者:刘进龙

审校:汪皓

The mayor and city council of Baltimore have launched a legal claim against both the owner and manager of a ship that crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge last month, leaving six men presumed dead.

The 985-foot vessel collided with one of the bridge’s supporting columns on March 26, causing the structure’s collapse into the Maryland harbor.

The Dali, which at the time of the accident was carrying 4,700 shipping containers, is owned by Singapore-based Grace Ocean Private Ltd. and managed by Synergy Marine Pte Ltd.

Both companies are named in the lawsuit filed Monday by the City of Baltimore. The city is seeking significant damages not limited to the funds needed to rebuild the bridge, as well as costs associated with a loss of trade, tax revenue, and public welfare expenditures.

The claim, seen by Fortune, lays out more than 20 allegations about the failures of Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine, pointing out that prior to the incident thousands of boats a day passed beneath the bridge.

“None of this should have happened,” the suit reads. “Reporting has indicated that, even before leaving port, alarms showing an inconsistent power supply on the Dali had sounded. The Dali left port anyway, despite its clearly unseaworthy condition.”

The Dali had been bound for Sri Lanka, but the claim adds that 12 minutes after leaving its dock, the vessel’s onboard data recorder picked up “numerous aural alarms” relating to a loss of power.

The claim continues that while a backup generator was on board it was not powerful enough to get the boat back under control, meaning it hit the bridge at approximately 7 knots.

Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine have sought to limit their liabilities in the matter to $43.67 million under a pre–Civil War protection that means their liability can be capped at the value of the vessel’s remains after a casualty.

The liability limitation, filed by both companies in early April, also categorically denies any wrongdoing on their part in the incident. It said: “The casualty was not due to any fault, neglect, or want of care on the part of petitioners [Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine], the vessel, or any persons or entities for whose acts petitioners may be responsible.”

It adds if any such faults did occur—which it denies—these “occasioned and occurred without petitioners’ privity or knowledge.”

In the weeks and months following the incident, Synergy Marine has repeatedly offered condolences to the families of the men who died in the bridge collapse. In an update on April 2, the business added: “Ensuring the safety and well-being of the crew during this time is a critical priority for us. We have been actively engaged in a range of actions to support them since the incident.”

But the filing from Baltimore, submitted a matter of weeks later, gives a damning rebuttal to the businesses’ denial. The claim this week said the companies provided the Dali with an “incompetent” and “inattentive” crew, who lacked the proper skills and training to be on board.

The claim also alleges the businesses “provided a vessel with unseaworthy equipment” and failed to maintain the ship’s engines, systems, and steering.

Representatives for Grace Ocean and Synergy Marine told Fortune it would be inappropriate to comment at this time given ongoing investigations.

‘Economic engine brought to a grinding halt’

The mayor and city council of Baltimore have already countered the maritime businesses’ request for limited liability, asking the court to throw out the petition and find the pair “liable for all damages arising from the allision of the Dali into the Key Bridge.”

And if the mayor’s office is awarded the sums it is looking for, it will likely be significantly more than $43 million.

The court documents outline that the Port of Baltimore raked in more than $70 billion in 2023 alone, as well as 51,365 direct, induced, and indirect jobs supported by the site.

This “economic engine,“ once a “reliable constant” for the city of Baltimore, ground to a “halt” on March 26, the suit continues. “It is difficult to overestimate the Port’s import to the local economy,” the suit adds.

As such, the proposed bill for the ship companies is long. Baltimore is seeking the funds to cover the design, development, and rebuild of the bridge, as well as the costs incurred by the obstruction of the Patapsco River after the collision.

On top of that, the city is seeking damages covering the interruption of transportation around Baltimore, the costs needed for improved road maintenance for traffic which otherwise would have gone over the bridge, increased spending on police services, fire services, and other public employee overtime.

Elsewhere Baltimore is pushing to have its loss of income and property tax covered by the companies, as well as the bill for the cleanup operation after the incident. Baltimore is also requesting a fee for the public nuisance caused by the collision and the stockpiling of “hazardous substances” caused by the port’s reduced activity.

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