Hundreds of containers have washed up on the Dutch coast after a ship lost part of its cargo in heavy seas.

The container ship - identified by officials as the MSC Zoe - is suspected to have lost cargo during an overnight storm off the coastal border between Germany and the Netherlands.

Dutch authorities are warning the public to stay away, as some containers carried closed-off barrels of an organic peroxide, a flammable and highly toxic chemical.

The lost cargo also included toys, clothing items, light bulbs and flat screen TVs.

By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, more than 20 containers had washed ashore on the Wadden Islands, a North Sea archipelago, bringing a windfall for local treasure hunters who are crowding the beaches to see what washed up.