'I will make sure' - Keir Starmer makes important promise and thanks 'very best' beach clean up volunteers after shipping containers wash ashore in Sussex

The incident first unfolded on Monday, December 8 – when containers lost from cargo ship Baltic Klipper washed ashore in areas of West Sussex. Ambipar environmental specialists – supported by resident volunteers – carried out extensive shoreline and waste management work. Ground crews were supported by drone technology as they identified and assessed material.

The containers which washed up were carrying fruit such as bananas and avocados, which were heading for supermarkets.

Alison Griffiths, MP for Bognor Regis and Littlehampton, has been fighting to ensure that the clean-up of the Baltic Klipper incident will continue ‘until the last bit of debris is picked up’, and that local taxpayers are not left with ‘any residual or hidden costs’.

Speaking in Prime Minister's Questions on Wednesday (January 7), Alison paid tribute to the community groups, volunteers, and residents who have driven the clean-up efforts.

She asked Sir Keir Starmer whether he would facilitate a meeting for her with the minister responsible to discuss the ‘wide-ranging concerns’ that have arisen since the 16 containers went overboard.

The Sussex MP said: “Beaches and seas in my Bognor Regis and Littlehampton constituency have been polluted with toxic debris.

“The clean-up was initiated and led almost exclusively by resolute local volunteers. So will the Prime Minister join me in paying tribute to all those involved for their extraordinary efforts?

"And will he, or the relevant Minister, meet with me to ensure that the coastline is restored and that local taxpayers will not pick up any costs?”

The Prime Minister replied: “Let me join her in paying tribute to the agencies and the local volunteers who supported the clean-up efforts. They’re the very best and I do pay tribute to them and join her in doing that.

“Liability sits with the polluter, and agencies and her local authority should work with the responsible party to recover the costs. I will make sure that she gets the meeting that she has asked for with the appropriate minister.”

Alison Griffiths has since expressed gratitude for the Prime Minister’s response.

She said: “At a time where we have seen our beaches and marine wildlife devastated, the other side to the story is the response from the community, which has been incredible.

"I am grateful to the Prime Minister for his kind words about all the volunteers who have led the clean-up; as he said, they have shown ‘the very best’ of Bognor Regis and Littlehampton.

"I will be pursuing the meeting with the minister responsible with all urgency. Residents want their beaches back, they want all the debris cleared up, and they don't want to be left footing any of the costs through their council tax.

"I have written to the local authorities involved in the clean-up operation, as well as the various government agencies, and my hope is that we can work constructively and collegiately to resolve this on behalf of the community."

The MP has also raised a number of written Parliamentary questions with the UK Government on the Baltic Klipper incident, to ‘ensure that lessons are learned so this doesn't happen again’.

A new joint statement – from West Sussex County Council, Arun District Council, and Chichester District Council – was published on Thursday, January 8.

This read: “A major clean-up of the West Sussex shoreline continued over Christmas and the New Year, with more waste being recovered and taken away for disposal.

"Containers and their contents came ashore around Selsey, Pagham and Bognor Regis having fallen from the Baltic Klipper cargo ship just over a month ago.

“Teams from all agencies involved worked throughout the festive period to maintain our commitment to reducing the impact on the environment and keeping the area safe for the public.”

The councils said the operation remains ‘complex and protracted’ – covering 60km of coastline, and work is ‘expected to continue for some time to come’.

They added: “Environment specialists Ambipar are continuing the work to assess and retrieve waste from the shoreline. 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.

“Specialists in heavy haulage and lifting AR Banks are planning the recovery of remaining container pieces from the shoreline. 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. Please contact Ambipar on 01202 653 558 or email [email protected].

“All costs of the operation are being carefully collated, and agencies are working closely with the shipping company's insurers to ensure that all recoverable costs are claimed.”

Anyone heading to the shoreline is reminded to follow safety guidance: www.westsussex.gov.uk/campaigns/shipping-containers-clean-up/