Posted on 05/06/2017 6:49:06 AM PDT by BenLurkin
The National Advisor Bureau, headquartered in Masdar City, Abu-Dhabi, plans to source the massive blocks of ice from Heard Island, around 600 miles (1000 kilometres) off the coast of mainland Antarctica.
It will then transport them around 5,500 miles (8,800 km) to Fujairah, one of the seven emirates which make up the UAE.
One iceberg could provide enough for one million people over five years, according to the company.
And the scheme could begin as early as the start of 2018.
The firm's director says they have already travelled the transportation route and used simulators to check the feasibility of the scheme, according to reports in Gulf News.
Speaking to the site about what he is calling the UAE Iceberg Project, Abdullah Mohammad Sulaiman Al Shehi said: 'Our simulator predicts that it will take up to one year [to tow an iceberg to UAE].
'We have formulated the technical and financial plan. Towing is the best method. We will start the project in beginning of 2018.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Iceberg, you’re a lot of fun!
DANG!
An old idea from POPULAR MECHANICS or POPULAR SCIENCE from 40 years ago.
Hydrostatic stability is definitely a concern. It would be an [interesting development] to have a load like that in tow when it started to roll, actually rotate, and around any axis at any orientation it damned well pleased.
I’m pretty sure they try to make sure it was nice and flat and exhibit the hydrostatic stability of flat plank and not a log or a tennis ball.
Hard to believe this is cheaper & more efficient then a desalinization plant.
Nice stunt though, I guess you have to do these things when your a monarchy.
A great idea! Let them drink water with million year old mucrobes in it.
I hope they take pictures. This is going to be cool. Almost like a cartoon. Plus, the enviros will probably have a hissy fit. How do you tie a tow rope to an iceburg?! Such fun.
There’ll be three ice cubes left by the time it gets there.
LOL!!!!! You read my mind! Was just thinking of that movie too :-)
Algore says there’ll only be ice cubes left by the time they start
“But... the polar bears!”
Wrong end.
and if it tastes terrible
But... the polar bears!
Penguins
That’s going to mess with globull warming minds.
Would seem like they would need a barge “wired” on either side...because that ice will NOT melt evenly.
A lot of things can go wrong in 5,500 miles.
Is Bill Nye providing the engineering calculations?
3 stooges ice delivery
http://www.veoh.com/watch/v500921bMjTt6WH
‘Our simulator predicts that it will take up to one year [to tow an iceberg to UAE].
= = =
That’s pretty slow.
If 5000 miles, it’s about 0.6 MPH for a year.
Ocean current map:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ocean_current#/media/File:Corrientes-oceanicas.png
Current speeds vary.
Seems like fighting the ocean currents, and the inertia of the big burg would take a lot of towing force.
A whole fleet of those Sheiks’ cigarette boats, I’ll bet.
Like I said....blow it up and put it on a barge
Heh!
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