Deal Between Dali and U.S. Has Left Crew 'Marooned' in Baltimore for 19 Months

Maritime attorney Sean Pribyl spoke with The Baltimore Banner about an agreement between the U.S. government and the owners and operators of the Dali container ship to keep crew members in Baltimore throughout the National Transportation Safety Board's (NTSB) investigation into the March 2024 accident involving the vessel. Although the terms of the security agreement are unclear, professionals say they likely require the crew to remain in Baltimore while the government investigates the Dali's power outage and subsequent crash into the Francis Scott Key Bridge. Mr. Pribyl talked about how these arrangements typically work, saying ship owners and operators pay crew members their wages as well as for meals and lodging, while crew members voluntarily surrender their passports. He added the U.S. Coast Guard can hold a ship as leverage when negotiating with vessel owners.

READ: Deal Between Dali and U.S. Has Left Crew 'Marooned' in Baltimore for 19 Months