A P&O cruise ship was unable to depart Southampton after dozens of shipping containers fell overboard from a cargo vessel in the Solent on Saturday evening.

HM Coastguard confirmed it was alerted at around 18:00 on 6 December that containers had toppled from the cargo ship BALTIC KLIPPER near the Nab Tower, off Bembridge, Isle of Wight.

Initial information indicated 18 containers had entered the water. No crew members were hurt, and the cargo was described as non-hazardous.

The incident affected the planned departure of the P&O cruise ship Iona, which had been scheduled to leave Southampton on Saturday for a 14-day sailing to Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands. The vessel, which can carry about 5,200 passengers, remained in port overnight.

P&O Cruises said the ship would stay alongside until authorities confirmed the location of the drifting containers. The company indicated it was working with the Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) to manage the delay, leaving passengers waiting while checks continued.

By Sunday afternoon, HM Coastguard reported that 16 containers from BALTIC KLIPPER were confirmed overboard. According to information provided by the vessel’s owners, eight of the containers held bananas, two contained plantain, one carried avocados, and five were empty.

Later updates stated that five containers had washed ashore around Selsey, West Sussex. Cordons were put in place by Coastguard rescue teams from Selsey and Littlehampton, supported by West Sussex Fire and Rescue Service and Sussex Police. The public was strongly advised to stay away from the site.

Other containers were seen drifting off the coastline, prompting searches by an HM Coastguard helicopter and a fixed-wing aircraft throughout Sunday.

HM Coastguard said it continued to work with the relevant authorities, including the ship’s owners, who are responsible for recovering the containers. Radio broadcasts are being sent to alert local shipping, and Selsey Coastguard Rescue Team remains on patrol.

West Sussex County Council has appointed specialist response teams who will begin clearing cargo that has come ashore on Monday. The council stated that further details on debris recovery and disposal would be issued once assessments are completed.

Officials reminded the public that all wreck material recovered in the UK must be reported to the Receiver of Wreck, using the official reporting process.

They added that in this case perishable goods are not included, but other items must still be declared within 28 days, with failure to do so potentially leading to enforcement action.

HM Coastguard has asked that any additional sightings of containers be reported immediately via 0344 382 0560.

Reference: hmcoastguard