PORTSMOUTH, N.H. — The owners of a tanker that struck a bridge connecting New Hampshire and Maine has agreed with the states to mediation.

The owners have been seeking a $2.4 million refund from the two states for the bond posted to release the vessel after the collision into the Sarah Mildred Long Bridge on April 1. The states sued the owners, saying the crew didn’t secure the tanker properly.

The owners of the Portuguese oil tanker MV Harbor Feature had said the two states are guilty of negligence. A trial has been scheduled for next year if the parties can’t reach an agreement.

The Portsmouth Herald reports the states and the tanker owners have agreed to mediation, a process that they expect to conclude by the end of next month.


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