Posted on February 24, 2026
By Chloe Boden
A large-scale operation has been underway since the beginning of February, after a mass of sand culminated in the outer harbour that was restricting access for mariners.
As previously reported, the build-up was most prominent on the eastern outer entrance, and businesses and residents were left baffled by the unusual sighting that was likened to a mini island in the harbour.
Severe weather has battered the Jurassic Coast in recent weeks, that has led to a number of weather warnings and flooding which continues to cause disruption to traffic.
Mariners were warned that that the risk of vessels grounding was highly likely except during favourable tidal conditions, with an estimated 10,000 tonnes of sand shifting into the harbour – the most seen for more than 20 years, according to Dorset Council.
An 80-tonne crane has been used to shift portions of the sediment at a time and transfer it onto East Beach and a spokesperson for Dorset Council described the task as ‘mammoth’.
The operation can shift one tonne of debris per drop, meaning the work is expected to take until March to complete.
Water injection dredging trials began on Tuesday, which will loosen deeply impacted debris and sand to avoid having to excavate the seabed.
East Beach is also being reprofiled this week, to build up the beaches natural flood defence.
A spokesperson for Dorset Council said: “Dredging operations at West Bay are progressing well following the recent storms, and everything remains on schedule. Work within the harbour has been running efficiently, and we are continuing to make steady progress as conditions allow.
“Regarding East Beach, we continue to work alongside the Environment Agency, who are currently reprofiling the beach to ensure it remains safe, resilient, and able to withstand further weather impacts. Our dredging and their beach management work are being coordinated to ensure an effective overall approach.”
Harbour Master James Radcliffe said: “I’m very pleased with the progress so far. The team has worked efficiently despite the challenging conditions following the storms, and the planned trials this week will give us the clarity we need for the next phase of dredging.”
