An Abu Dhabi firm is planning to tow icebergs from Heard Island in the Southern Indian Ocean to the UAE to harvest them for drinking water. The project could start as early as 2018.
Abdullah Mohammad Sulaiman Al Shehi’s firm has already mapped the transportation route which runs an estimated at 12,600km. If successful, each iceberg could deliver 20 billion gallons of fresh drinking water.
The firm also believes that the Icebergs could create micro-climates in the region and bring rain to the arid landscape.
Icebergs typically take a long time to melt, as around 80 per cent of their overall mass usually remains underwater, while the exposed white ice above reflects sunlight and thus heat, reducing the amount of water that evaporates.
“We want it mainly for the water. It could also be good for tourism and the weather,” Al Shehi was quoted as saying.
According to the promotional video, the icebergs will also have penguins, which only live in the Southern Hemisphere as well as Polar Bears, which only live in the Northern Hemisphere.