Banana containers cause shipping disruption in Solent

Warnings have been broadcast to ships in the Solent after 16 containers, mostly containing bananas, fell overboard off the Isle of Wight.

HM Coastguard has been carrying out aerial searches after they came off cargo ship the Baltic Klipper near the Nab tower lighthouse, off Bembridge, on Saturday, at about 18:00 GMT.

The Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) said no crew members were injured and the containers were carrying “non-hazardous cargo”. Five containers have so far come ashore at Selsey, West Sussex and others been sighted adrift off the shore.

The incident disrupted some shipping movements, with the P&O Cruises ship Iona delayed in departing from Southampton because of the obstruction.

Eight containers were carrying bananas, two have avocados, another plantain, and five others are empty.

A cordon has been put in place in Selsey, where West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service, Sussex Police, and local coastguard rescue teams are in attendance where boxes and bananas have been spotted washing up on the shore.

The MCA said: “HM Coastguard is closely monitoring the situation and working with the relevant authorities, including the vessel’s owners, who are responsible for recovering the containers.

“Broadcasts are being sent to warn local shipping, and Selsey Coastguard Rescue Team is on patrol.”

The MCA advised the public to avoid the area and that “all wreck material found in the UK has to be reported to HM Coastguard’s Receiver of Wreck”.

“Those who fail to declare items within 28 days are breaking the law and may have further action taken against then,” it said.

Steve Wenham, from Portsmouth, who has worked on ferries in the Solent, said the Baltic Klipper was a refrigerated vessel specialising in soft fruits, and was a “regular visitor” to the area.

“She normally does a round-robin trip every month from the Caribbean or West Africa,” he said.

“If any containers have sunk they’re not going to be a problem, but it’s the ones that are still afloat, they’re the hazard.”

He said the drifting containers were a “massive issue” because they could float into the shipping lanes and “cause a great deal of damage”.

Iona, which has a capacity of 5,200 passengers, had been due to set off on Saturday for a 14-day trip to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands.

It was eventually given clearance at about 13:00 GMT on Sunday.