The Swedish P&I Club has issued an alert to inform that an unusually large number of icebergs have drifted into the shipping lanes of the North Atlantic in recent weeks, forcing vessels to detour well to the south to avoid danger.
Icebergs have even been spotted outside of the Coast Guard’s ice navigation warning area, prompting at least one notice to mariners urging additional caution.
According to experts recent storms have led to a larger and earlier spring breakup: IIP’s satellite observations recently identified 455 icebergs in one week, five times the average in years past.
Eventually, the hazard has reportedly as forced mariners to alter their course or to throttle back, with delays in the range of one to one and a half days.
Source: Swedish P&I Club
