Marine and Shoreline Recovery, Selsey

Client background

In March 2026, a favourable weather window allowed A R Banks Ltd to return to West Sussex to continue the coordinated marine and shoreline recovery operation following the Baltic Klipper incident.

The Baltic Klipper incident resulted in container shells and fragmented sections being dispersed along a substantial stretch of the West Sussex coastline, from Selsey to Bognor Regis. This latest part of the recovery work was instructed by brand MARINE CONSULTANTS, focussing on the Selsey foreshore.

brand MARINE CONSULTANTS is a growing, global Marine Consultancy. Since the company was founded in 2014, bMC has successfully completed hundreds of projects on behalf of shipowners, law firms, P&I clubs, offshore contractors, shipyards and insurance companies.

The requirement

The project required the clearance of debris from the intertidal zone, ensuring the foreshore was returned to its natural state while adhering to strict environmental and safety protocols. This could only be carried out when the weather conditions were right, with calm seas and clear conditions.

Works required:

Mobilisation of a specialised flat-bottom vessel to facilitate close-shore access and recovery.
Utilisation of onboard crane equipment for the controlled removal of pre-slung wreckage sections.
Strategic planning and execution of recovery phases in alignment with local tidal windows to ensure operational safety.
Execution of all recovery works from a marine platform to minimise physical impact and disruption to the foreshore environment.
Safe hoisting and securing of debris for transport and subsequent disposal and processing.
Maintaining high operational oversight throughout the lifting process to ensure the safe and efficient clearance of the recovery zone.

The challenge

The recovery presented significant logistical hurdles, primarily due to the wreckage being dispersed around timber groynes and becoming partially submerged or buried within the sand. The intertidal environment imposed strict tidal windows, requiring high operational efficiency. Additionally, the site featured constrained access routes and proximity to the general public, necessitating robust traffic management and public safety measures to transport large, heavy wreckage sections from the beach to our chosen licensed disposal facility.

The solution

We implemented a multi-disciplinary approach, integrating marine plant with land-based logistics. Calm sea conditions enabled us to position a crane-equipped vessel offshore to manage the primary lifting. To address buried debris, a compact excavator was deployed directly onto the beach to carefully uncover wreckage and pre-sling it for extraction.

A seamless "pick-and-carry" system was established: the vessel’s lorry loader crane (Hiab) transferred sections to a designated slipway landing area, where a 9-tonne excavator moved the materials along a constrained access ramp. Finally, the wreckage was loaded into a RoRo container system at the public highway for transport.

Scope of works

Site Safety & Management: Implementation of full site signage, barriers and public exclusion zones.
Specialist Excavation: Deployment of compact tracked plant to expose submerged and sand-covered wreckage.
Marine Lifting Operations: Use of a vessel-mounted Hiab crane to lift pre-slung sections from the foreshore to the landing zone.
Intertidal Logistics: Coordinated "pick-and-carry" operations utilising 9-tonne excavators to navigate constrained slipway access.
Integrated Waste Management: Transfer of wreckage to a RoRo skip system for transport to our chosen licensed materials recovery facility.
Environmental Adherence: Execution of works in full compliance with ethical waste treatment and disposal best practices.

The outcome

The operation was completed successfully, with all identified wreckage sections removed from the intertidal zone and the timber groyne fields. By utilising a marine-based lifting strategy alongside specialised beach plant, we were able to minimise environmental disruption to the foreshore. All recovered materials were transported to the materials recovery facility, ensuring 100% compliance with environmental legislation.

A R Banks Director, Stuart Banks managed this project. He said: “This project highlights our ability to deliver end-to-end salvage solutions through robust planning, specialist equipment and precise operational control. Another successful project under our belt thanks to our skilled and experienced team.”

If you’re in need of recovery and salvage solutions, please get in touch with our friendly and experienced team.