The breaking-off of a 1trn tonne iceberg from the Larsen C Ice Shelf on July 10th to 12th could cause problems for ships traversing Antarctic waters, according to Swansea University researchers. A 5,800 square km section of Larsen C broke away this week, an event that had been expected for some time. The calving has reduced the area of the Larsen C shelf by more than 12%. The iceberg is not currently close to any of the major trade lanes, but it was likely to fragment, with parts of the iceberg drifting north. Expedition cruise ships heading to Antarctica were cautioned to remain vigilant. “The iceberg is one of the largest recorded and its future progress is difficult to predict,” said Adrian Luckman, professor at Swansea University and lead investigator of Project MIDAS, which has been monitoring the ice shelf, adding that “it may remain in one piece but is more likely to break into fragments. Some of the ice may remain in the area for decades, while parts of the iceberg may drift north into warmer waters”, Luckman added.

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