In the Baltimore bridge collapse that occurred more than two years ago that caused a major setback for boat operators, the US Department of Justice (DOJ) announced 18 charges against them on Tuesday, NBC News reported.
International companies Synergy Marine Pte Ltd and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd, along with the ship’s technical supervisor Radhakrishnan Karthik Nair, have been charged by federal prosecutors with conspiracy, willful failure to notify the US Coast Guard of a known unsafe condition, obstructing agency management and making false statements.
At least six people have died after a 100,000-plus ton cargo ship crashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. The accident also disrupted traffic to one of the largest seaports in the US, CNN reported, citing officials who added that rebuilding the bridge would cost billions.
In addition, Syngery Marine Pte Ltd and Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd were also charged with violating the Clean Water Act, the Oil Pollution Act and the Waste Act, the Ministry of Justice said. These charges are related to the discharge of pollutants into the Patapsco River in Maryland, including shipping containers, their contents, oil and the bridge itself.
U.S. Attorney Kelly O. Hayes for the District of Maryland said at a news conference in Baltimore today: “The government’s investigation also found that Synergy employees, including its shoreside technical managers, devised and directed the production of safety inspections and certifications related to vessel systems.” She added that investigators believe Nair, who is a 47-year-old Indian national, is in India.
Hayes noted, “We will enforce and use all our available law enforcement tools” to try to get him.
What did the court documents reveal?
The Justice Department said the defendants allegedly rigged the boat and used a scavenge pump to fuel two of Dali’s four generators, according to court documents. Because the pump was not designed to automatically restart after a blackout, the generators lost their fuel supply, causing the ship to suffer a second blackout.
The ministry added that if the ship had not relied on the scavenging pump, power would have been restored, preventing the crash.
In announcing the charges, Acting Attorney General Todd Blanche said, “The collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge was a tragedy of enormous consequence that could have been prevented.” He added, “This indictment is a critical step in holding accountable those whose reckless disregard for marine safety regulations caused this disaster. Six construction workers lost their lives, critical infrastructure was destroyed, pollutants were released into the Patapsco River and Chesapeake Bay, and economic damages now exceed five billion dollars.”
Baltimore Bridge Collapse
After the bridge collapsed on March 26, 2024, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the US Coast Guard opened a criminal investigation. Several crew members who were not US citizens were asked to remain in the country as agencies conducted an investigation.
In December 2025, the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) issued its final report on the incident, which concluded that the wire’s label had slipped over the cover, preventing the wire from making a proper connection to the circuit breaker. As a result, it caused power outages on the ship “Dali” as it left Baltimore Harbor. Despite the crew’s unsuccessful efforts to “restore propulsion from the loss of electrical power,” the report said, Dalí plunged onto the bridge a few minutes later.
Six construction workers were killed after the bridge collapsed into the Patapsco River, and another construction worker fell into the waters below and suffered serious injuries but survived. An inspector working as a subcontractor for the Maryland Transportation Authority was able to escape the collapse without injury. Nearly two dozen crew members on the ship survived, along with two pilots who were helping the vessel navigate the harbor.
Prosecutors said Synergy Marine Pte Ltd operates out of Singapore, while Synergy Maritime Pte Ltd is based in Chennai. Nair, an Indian national, served as technical superintendent for both firms.
