Shipping containers clean-up

A major clean-up operation is ongoing after containers that went overboard from a cargo ship washed up along the West Sussex shoreline. 

The containers came ashore around Selsey, Pagham Harbour and Bognor Regis having fallen from the Baltic Klipper while in the Solent on Saturday 6 December 2025.

West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council and Chichester District Council are leading the co-ordination of the clean-up. 

Environmental management company Ambipar is appointed to lead the clean-up of the waste materials from the beaches and shoreline. 

Specialists in heavy haulage and lifting AR Banks are planning the recovery of container pieces.

Our joint priorities remain public safety and protecting the environment. 

It remains a complex and protracted operation covering 60km of coastline, involving many people, and multiple agencies, organisations and community groups. 

Main photo credit: Ambipar

Update 12 January 2026

All agencies involved in the major clean-up of waste and containers from the Baltic Klipper are aware of a container washing ashore today at Elmer in Bognor Regis.

We understand that multiple shipping containers have fallen overboard from other vessels operating offshore following the recent severe weather.

It is not yet confirmed at this stage whether the container washed ashore today came from the Baltic Klipper cargo ship in December or from the other container ships in the last few days.

Read more. 

Update 8 January 2026

Work to assess and retrieve waste from the shoreline is ongoing.

More than 95 tonnes of waste collected since the start of the operation has now been disposed of, including organic, plastic, wood, and metal materials. 

Ambipar teams are quadrat surveying the beach in sections, working through each square in a planned pattern to identify and then remove debris from each section as they go.

All containers that were mostly intact have been removed from the beaches and work is underway to plan the removal of the remaining pieces, considering the weather and tide conditions.

All agencies involved would once again like to thank everyone in the local communities who have volunteered to recover waste. 

We would still like to hear from anyone who spots waste from the containers washed ashore.

To report waste from containers washed ashore in West Sussex, please contact Ambipar directly.

• Call 01202 653 558
• Email marine.response@ambipar.com

To report containers spotted afloat offshore anywhere along the coastline, please contact Maritime and Coastguard Agency directly.

If you are planning on heading to the shoreline, please help us by keeping yourself and others safe and enjoy the coastline without putting yourself at risk.

• Do not approach, climb on or move remaining container pieces; they may break apart or shift without warning and may contain sharp metal and plastics
• Keep children and pets away from affected areas
• Follow signage and instruction from on-site teams

Volunteers must follow the direction given from officials on site to ensure their safety, including: 

• Be aware of hazards on the beach including sharp materials such as metal and plastic that can also be heavy and unstable
• Be aware of and stay away from machinery in use on the beach and around the shoreline 
• Be mindful of the tides, currents, tide times and daylight hours and not working longer than it is safe to do so 
• Keep well back from the waterline and do not go into the water 
• Do not work on your own. Buddy up, work in pairs or small teams 
• Wear sensible warm, water-proof and weather-proof clothing and safe, sturdy footwear 
• Do not attempt to climb on rocks or other structures, or retrieve materials that could place you in any kind of danger 
• Wear gloves and make use of equipment such as litter pickers 
• Do not bring young children or pets 
• Do not enter cordoned-off areas 
• Report any hazards or dangers to on-site staff.

12 January: Clean-up teams respond to container washed ashore at Bognor Regis

8 January: More waste collected from West Sussex shoreline as major operation continues

19 December: Progress on recovering waste and shipping containers from West Sussex shoreline

15 December: The clean-up of West Sussex’s shoreline continues 

12 December: West Sussex shoreline clean-up operation continues into the weekend

10 December: Major clean-up operation continues after shipping containers came ashore in West Sussex 

9 December: Update statement regarding shipping containers coming ashore in West Sussex 

8 December: Statement regarding shipping containers coming ashore in West Sussex