Review of Ice Characteristics in Ship-Iceberg Collisions

Abstract

The International Ice Patrol (IIP) was established after the Titanic collided with an iceberg off the eastern coast of Canada in 1912 and sank, killing more than 1,500 people. Recently, the IIP has analyzed satellite images and provided safe operation information to vessels by tracking the occurrence and movement of icebergs. A large number of recent arctic studies mainly deal with sea ice formed by freezing seawater related to sea routes and resource development. The iceberg that collided with the Titanic was land-based ice that dislodged from a glacier and fell into the sea. The properties of these two types of ice are different. In addition, vessels operating in ice-covered waters such as the Arctic sea have an ice-breaking function or minimum ice-strengthened functions. Ships operating on transatlantic routes including the eastern coast of Canada do not necessarily require ice-strengthened functions. Hundreds to thousands of icebergs are discovered each year near the area where the Titanic sank. In this study, the status of ship-iceberg collision accidents was investigated to provide useful information to researchers, and the physical and mechanical characteristics of icebergs were investigated and summarized.