DATABASE OF SHIP COLLISIONS WITH ICEBERGS 



Brian T. Hill 



This database concentrates on iceberg collisions in the North Atlantic off Newfoundland and Labrador 

 but does include a few incidents further north, around Greenland, and also in the fiords of Alaska. The 

 format of the database follows the same style as that which appeared in the 1973 International Ice 

 Patrol Bulletin. Now approximating 500 incidents, the database is comprised of the original 60 

 mentioned in the Bulletin plus what was found while researching material for the "Historical Record of 

 Sea Ice and Iceberg Distribution around Newfoundland and Labrador, 1810 - 1958", report LM-1998- 

 02. The scope of that report was mainly limited to the winter months January through April and 

 provided a little over 200 incidents. The search now continues through the remainder of the calendar 

 years using contemporary shipping journals and newspapers. Others have been found in a variety of 

 databases, articles, and insurance records, the principal sources being acknowledged below. 



The database focuses on incidents of ships striking icebergs which being ice of glacial origin also 

 includes the smaller categories of growlers and bergy bits. Definitions can be found in MANICE. 

 Sometimes it is unclear whether a "piece of ice" is a small iceberg or ice floe. Best judgement was 

 used in deciding which was more likely though in practical terms the difference is only one of 

 terminology since damage still occurred. There are many grim tales of death, destruction and survival 

 in the ice without the presence of icebergs. 



This database will continue to grow as more incidents are found. Any comments and additions are 

 very welcome. 



Additions and modifications since the previous version dated 1 March, 2000 are shown with the 

 vessel name in bold and/or red. 



Canadian Heritage Ship Information Database 



http://daryl.ctiin.gc.ca:8010/basisbwdocs/sid/e_main.html 



International Ice Patrol Bulletin 1973 



Lloyd's List 



Memorial University of Newfoundland's 1995 First Annual Report on Canadian Offshore Design for Ice Environments 



New York Maritime Register 



Northern Shipwreck Database, Northern Maritime Research, 1997 



Polar Record, Vol 19. No 121, 1979, pp 343-362. Shipping losses caused by ice 1890-1977 



Tacoma Public Library Ships and Shipping Database 



http://www.tpl.lib.wa.us/cgi-win/shipcgi2.exe/form 



Terra Nova Mutual Marine Insurance Losses and Claims, Maritime History Archives, M.U.N. 



66 



