Purpose

In
December 2025 and January 2026, forty shipping containers were lost
overboard in two separate incidents off the West Sussex coastline,
resulting in significant shoreline pollution from ruptured
containers and widespread debris. West Sussex County Council,
working with district and borough councils and supported by HM
Coastguard, activated a coordinated multi-agency emergency response
to protect public safety, the environment, and local
infrastructure.
Under the pre-existing Sussex Coastal Pollution Clean-up &
Disposal Service Framework, Ambipar, a specialist pollution
contractor, was deployed immediately to lead shoreline recovery,
waste handling, and clean-up operations. Temporary depots were
established, daily monitoring and recovery teams were mobilised to
remove debris, including collaboration with heavy?lifting
contractors recovering container remnants. A phased demobilisation
is underway, once the shoreline was restored as far as reasonably
practicable.
Due to the need for this matter
to be determined as soon as possible the decision maker has advised
the appropriate Scrutiny Chairman that this key decision will be
taken with limited notice in the Forward Plan of key decisions
(Part 4, Section 1, Standing Order 3.56) (Regulation 10) because
delay would prejudice the County Council’s
interests.

Decision

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate
Change has approved;
 

1)  
the confirmation of the contractual arrangements with Ambipar
Response Ltd. to support the emergency cleanup (now in the
demobilisation phase), waste management activities and shoreline
monitoring; 
 

2)  
the noting of the revenue spend to-date; approximately £2.7
million (ex VAT); and
 

3)  
the delegation of authority to the Service Director (Environment
and Public Protection) to continue to finalise the demobilisation
of this project.