World’s biggest iceberg to collide with British island. How disastrous could this be?

The world’s largest iceberg is on track to collide with a remote British island, creating a potential threat to penguins and seals.

Named A23a, the iceberg is reportedly heading north from Antarctica towards South Georgia, a British Overseas Territory located in the southern Atlantic Ocean.

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A23a has held the title of the “largest current iceberg” multiple times since the 1980s, though it has been surpassed on occasion by larger but shorter-lived icebergs, like A68 in 2017 and A76 in 2021.

Will it hit the island of South Georgia?

Around the world, scientists, sailors, and fishermen are closely monitoring satellite images to track the movements of the massive iceberg A23a .

Andrew Meijers, a physical oceanographer at the British Antarctic Survey, told CNN, “It is presently in a meander of the current and not moving directly towards the island…But our understanding of the currents suggest that it is likely to again move towards the island soon.”

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Sea captain Simon Wallace, speaking to the BBC from the South Georgia government vessel Pharos, stated, “Icebergs are inherently dangerous. I would be extraordinarily happy if it just completely missed us.”

The iceberg remains the largest in the world, as confirmed by measurements updated earlier this month by the US National Ice Center.

The British Antarctic Survey noted that A23a would likely break up and melt upon reaching South Georgia. However, Meijers stated that satellite images show the iceberg still intact, unlike previous “megabergs,” which disintegrated into smaller pieces.

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The iceberg’s future course depends on whether it follows the current into the South Atlantic or becomes grounded on the continental shelf, where it could remain stuck.

“If this happens, it could seriously impede access to feeding grounds for the wildlife – seals and penguins mostly – that breed on the island,” Meijers added.

Mark Belchier, director of fisheries and environment for the government of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, told CNN that he is closely monitoring the iceberg’s path.

“Whilst they are common at South Georgia, they can cause issues for shipping and fishing vessels in the region,” he added.

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How the collision could impact wildlife

The iceberg A23a is spinning northwards from Antarctica and heading towards South Georgia, a remote British territory known for its rugged terrain and diverse wildlife. Currently, the iceberg is about 173 miles (280 km) from the island, where it may become grounded and break apart.

In the past, giant icebergs grounding near South Georgia led to devastating consequences, with countless birds and seals dying after being unable to access feeding grounds on the icy coves and beaches.

🗻 Iceberg visible from space puts South Georgia Island, wildlife in danger

➡️ One of world’s oldest and largest icebergs, A23a is on move, risks grounding and breaking apart pic.twitter.com/0nUpCXITYc

— Abhimanyu Manjhi (@AbhimanyuManjh5) January 23, 2025

South Georgia is home to vital colonies of King penguins and millions of elephant and fur seals, making it an important wildlife habitat.

“South Georgia sits in iceberg alley so impacts are to be expected for both fisheries and wildlife, and both have a great capacity to adapt,” Mark Belchier, a marine ecologist advising the South Georgia government, told the BBC.

While A23a’s formation is not linked to climate change, as it calved decades ago, the future may see more such giant icebergs. With Antarctica becoming increasingly unstable due to rising ocean and air temperatures, large sections of its ice sheets are likely to break away more frequently.

How it can impact the oceans

As the iceberg melts, it releases various elements into the surrounding water, altering the ocean’s physical and chemical properties.

This process could expand the storage of carbon in the deep ocean as particles sink from the surface, potentially driving some of the planet’s carbon dioxide emissions that drive climate change, according to the BBC.

However, icebergs are inherently unpredictable, and no one can be certain of A23a’s next movements.

A23a - the world’s largest iceberg

A23a is a colossal iceberg covering around 4,000 square kilometres. It originally broke off from Antarctica’s Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986 but remained lodged in the Weddell Sea, earning the description of an “ice island.”

The iceberg’s calving was part of a major outburst event on the White Continent. At the time, it supported a Soviet research station, which reflects how long ago the event occurred.

Fearing the loss of equipment at the Druzhnaya One base, Moscow organised an expedition to recover it. Despite these efforts, the iceberg’s thick keel became embedded in the muddy floor of the Weddell Sea, anchoring it in place.

British Antarctic Survey glaciologist Oliver Marsh noted that it is rare to see such a massive iceberg in motion, so scientists will closely monitor its path.

There was already a possibility before that A23a could become grounded near South Georgia Island. This raised concerns for the region’s ecosystem, as millions of seals, penguins, and seabirds breed on the island and rely on its surrounding waters for food, Reuters reported.

If A23a grounds itself in this area, it may disrupt its feeding routes and become a threat to the local ecology.

A68a: Previously the world’s biggest iceberg

Before A23a, the title of the world’s largest iceberg belonged to A68a, which was three times the size of London and weighed an estimated one trillion tonnes.

It was on a collision course with South Georgia Island, raising fears it would devastate the seafloor and marine ecosystems.

However, A68a stopped roughly 100 miles from the island before melting away completely without causing heavy damage, according to The Independent.

With inputs from agencies