World's biggest iceberg is on the move: Huge TRILLION-tonne 'megaberg' twice the size of Greater London has broken free - and is now drifting in the Southern Ocean
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The world's biggest iceberg is officially on the move. A23a is double the size of Greater London and weighs nearly a trillion tonnes. The megaberg has been grounded on the seafloor for over 30 years and recently began spinning on the spot. Now, experts from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have confirmed that A23a has finally broken free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands.
![[The megaberg has been grounded on the seafloor for over 30 years and recently began spinning on the spot. Now, experts from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have confirmed that A23a has finally broken free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/13/15/93123923-14190237-The_megaberg_has_been_grounded_on_the_seafloor_for_over_30_years-a-70_1734103446600.jpg)
It is now embarking on a new journey, as it begins drifting in the Southern Ocean. 'It's exciting to see A23a on the move again after periods of being stuck,' said Dr Andrew Meijers, 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.
![[A23a is roughly double the size of Greater London and weighs nearly a trillion tonnes]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/13/15/93124041-14190237-image-a-75_1734103672928.jpg)
'And more importantly what impact this will have on the local ecosystem.'. The world's biggest iceberg is officially on the move. A23a is double the size of Greater London and weighs nearly a trillion tonnes. The megaberg has been grounded on the seafloor for over 30 years and recently began spinning on the spot. Now, experts from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) have confirmed that A23a has finally broken free from its position north of the South Orkney Islands.
![[The iceberg originally calved from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf in 1986. It then remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea, before beginning its slow journey north in 2020]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/13/15/93123925-14190237-The_iceberg_originally_calved_from_Antarctica_s_Filchner_Ice_She-a-72_1734103472126.jpg)
A23a is roughly double the size of Greater London and weighs nearly a trillion tonnes. The iceberg originally calved from Antarctica's Filchner Ice Shelf back in 1986. It then remained grounded on the seabed in the Weddell Sea, before beginning its slow journey north in 2020.
![[In February this year, the iceberg became trapped in a Taylor Column - a phenomenon where rotating water above a seamount traps objects in place]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/12/13/15/93123927-14190237-In_February_this_year_the_iceberg_became_trapped_in_a_Taylor_Col-a-74_1734103484741.jpg)
