Face masks, plastic containers from cargo ship wash up on Sydney's beaches

Debris from the ship is likely to continue washing up on beaches for several days.

Debris on Malabar Beach in Sydney. Source: Randwick Council/Twitter

Beaches in Sydney’s east have been cleaned after cargo including face masks and plastic takeaway containers washed ashore on Wednesday.

The materials came from the Singaporean-flagged APL England, a cargo ship that lost 40 containers on Sunday in rough seas off the NSW coast.

The ship, which was en route from China to Melbourne, was forced to turn around and is now docked at the Port of Brisbane.

Photos uploaded to social media on Wednesday showed the debris washed up on various beaches and people cleaning it up.

Randwick City Council in Sydney's east closed its beaches - which includes Coogee, Clovelly and Maroubra - while crews cleaned up.

Australian Maritime Safety Authority representative Mark Morrow said the agency was concerned by what happened.

"We remain concerned that shipping containers don't fall from the vessel, even in an eight-metre swell,” he said.

"We expect high standards and we will certainly raise those issues with the international maritime organisation with a view to we can fix or retain those containers into the future."

ANL, the operator of APL England, said 21 of the containers lost on Sunday were empty and none of the others contained regulated hazardous goods or dangerous cargo.

The containers not only held medical supplies but also a wide range of goods, including household appliances and building materials.

Shipping containers resting precariously on the cargo ship Source: Australian Maritime Safety Authority/Facebook

Mr Morrow said it was likely debris would continue to wash up for several days.

"We have predictions based on drift modelling where that material will go," he said.

"I expect the majority will wash up within days ... but it depends on currents and ocean conditions."

In 2016, the APL England, under different owners, lost 37 containers in rough seas in the Great Australian Bight.

ANL apologised for any disruption that had been caused.

"ANL is committed to preserving the local environment and will undertake to remove debris in as timely a manner as possible," the company said in a statement.