Cambridge, England

The biggest iceberg in the world, A23a, has started to drift in the Southern Ocean after breaking free. The iceberg weighs almost a trillion tonnes and is double the size of Greater London. 

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For more than 30 years, the iceberg has remained grounded on the seafloor and recently was seen spinning on the spot. 

According to the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) experts, A23a has broken free from its position which was in the north of the South Orkney Islands. 

The iceberg has embarked on a new journey and is floating in the Southern Ocean. 

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"It's exciting to see A23a on the move again after periods of being stuck," said Dr Andrew Meijers, who is an oceanographer with the BAS.

"We are interested to see if it will take the same route the other large icebergs that have calved off Antarctica have taken. And more importantly what impact this will have on the local ecosystem," he added.

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Giant iceberg's journey so far

Originally, the iceberg had calved from the Filchner Ice Shelf in Antarctica in 1986.

The iceberg remained grounded in the Weddell Sea and started its slow journey north in 2020.

The iceberg got trapped in a Taylor Column in February this year. Taylor Column is a phenomenon in which the object in place gets trapped in rotating water above a seamount.

Because of this A23a kept spinning on the spot and its expected rapid drift north was delayed.

The images which were captured by satellites overhead have now confirmed that the iceberg has been freed and is moving.

Now, BAS experts are expecting that it will continue its journey towards the Southern Ocean after the Antarctic Circumpolar Current.

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The iceberg is likely to be driven towards the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia. 

The region's warmer conditions can lead to the breaking up of A23a into smaller icebergs that will eventually melt. The iceberg is also being studied by researchers on board RRS Sir David Attenborough. 

Biogeochemist on board the vessel Laura Taylor hoped that the impact of the iceberg on ecosystems would be studied by scientists.

"We know that these giant icebergs can provide nutrients to the waters they pass through, creating thriving ecosystems in otherwise less productive areas," Taylor said.

"What we don’t know is what difference particular icebergs, their scale, and their origins can make to that process. We took samples of ocean surface waters behind, immediately adjacent to, and ahead of the iceberg’s route. They should help us determine what life could form around A23a and how it impacts carbon in the ocean and its balance with the atmosphere," she added.

(With inputs from agencies)