Authorities are considering using satellite and radar technology to locate sunken containers that fell from a cargo ship off the NSW coast.
At least 30 skip bins worth of debris have already been cleaned off beaches in and around Port Stephens since 83 containers toppled off the YM Efficiency when high swells unexpectedly hit the vessel a week ago.
Roads and Maritime Services NSW is leading the clean-up effort, working with the private company contracted by the ship's insurers to identify and recover the containers and any debris lost from the ship.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority is already using modelling to help track where containers might be or where they are likely to come ashore.
It is also investigating the possibility of using radar and optical satellite capabilities to better understand where hazards may be, a spokeswoman said.
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On top of that, the RMS is working with the Navy to help pinpoint potential obstructions and issue more specific warnings to the commercial fishing industry, in particular, before they can remove it.
The RMS says all of the costs will be passed onto the ship's insurer, which could be in the tens of thousands of dollars per day.
The Taiwanese, Liberian-flagged ship docked in Sydney's Port Botany on Wednesday morning.
Its operators, Yang Ming, apologised on Tuesday for the hundreds of kilos of debris that have washed up along the coast.
"We know that the marine incident has brought a lot of public concern," Yang Ming spokesman Steven Ka said.
"We will take full responsibility to recover and to minimise the impact to the marine environment."
