U.S. federal prosecutors have charged the chief engineer of the container ship Dali over allegations that he failed to report hazardous vessel conditions before the ship struck Baltimore’s Francis Scott Key Bridge on 26 March 2024, causing the bridge to collapse and killing six road workers.
Karthikeyan Deenadayalan is the first crew member who was on board Dali at the time of the disaster to face criminal charges. The incident temporarily shut the main shipping channel into the Port of Baltimore.
Court filings state that Deenadayalan has been charged with violating the Ports and Waterways Safety Act. Prosecutors allege that he knowingly and willfully failed to notify the U.S. Coast Guard about dangerous conditions aboard Dali before the vessel departed Baltimore.
Federal authorities and Deenadayalan have entered into a deferred prosecution agreement. The charge could be dismissed if he meets certain conditions, although the terms have not been made public.
The U.S. Department of Justice alleges that Dali had equipment problems involving its generator fuel supply system. Prosecutors claim redundant supply and booster pumps for generators 3 and 4 were not being used, while a non-redundant flushing pump was used instead.
Investigators said Dali suffered at least four power outages before the collision. Court documents state that the first blackout was likely caused by a loose wire, while the second and critical blackout occurred because the vessel relied on the non-redundant flushing pump to supply fuel to two of its four generators.
The charge follows criminal cases brought against Synergy Marine, the vessel’s operator, and one of its technical superintendents. Prosecutors allege that the company concealed dangerous shipboard conditions through falsified inspection reports and by bypassing maritime safety requirements.
They also claim Dali was fitted with the wrong fuel pump, preventing the vessel from regaining power before impact. Synergy Marine has denied the allegations, calling them unfounded in court filings.
The bridge collapse killed six construction workers who were repairing potholes on the structure. It also blocked the main navigation channel serving the Port of Baltimore for weeks, disrupting shipping and business activity in the region.
The ship’s owner and operator have reached settlements with the families of the six workers who died, surviving road crew members, the State of Maryland and the U.S. government over bridge losses, salvage operations and recovery costs.
Several civil claims remain active, including cases filed by the City of Baltimore, Baltimore County, longshore workers and local businesses seeking compensation for economic losses linked to the bridge collapse and port disruption.
Separately, Grace Ocean, the owner of Dali, has filed a lawsuit against HD Hyundai in Pennsylvania, alleging manufacturing defects. The shipbuilder has rejected the claims, noting that the vessel had operated for more than a decade and that it was not responsible for maintenance during that period.
Maryland authorities expect the replacement Francis Scott Key Bridge to be completed by the end of 2030. The new bridge will be more than 3,200 m long, with two 3.7 m lanes in each direction and 70.1 m of clearance above the federal shipping channel.
Project costs are estimated at about $9 billion, with construction divided into multiple contracts covering over-water sections, land approaches and demolition of the remaining bridge structure.
