Since glaciers calve and icebergs split, why can’t one be moved by, say , tug boats or barges to be mined as a source of fresh water?

Question

I saw that desalinization plants are energy intensive and don’t remove boron which is toxic to plants, but icebergs are fresh water

In: 7

Answer 1

It can be done – in theory and with small icebergs, but it is not an easy task. The tonnage of an iceberg can range from 100K tons to more than 10 million tons. They are huge and heavy and difficult to tow. For any sizable iceberg, you’d need a bunch of ships and LOTS of fuel to tow it any meaningful distance, and the entire time it’s melting. Further, they’re unstable and can flip/turn, easily snapping tow ropes or putting the ships in danger. Put another way, towing icebergs is also energy intensive and poses significant risks.