The role of seamounts in the formation and evolution of sea ice isinvestigated in a series of numerical experiments with a coupled seaice-ocean model. Bottom topography, stratification and forcing areconfigured for the Maud Rise region in the Weddell Sea. The specificflow regime that develops at the seamount as the combined response tosteady and tidal forcing consists of free and trapped waves and aTaylor column, which is caused by mean flow and tidal flowrectification. The enhanced variability through tidal motion inparticular is capable of modifying the mixed layer above the seamountenough to delay and reduce sea ice formation throughout the winter.The induced sea ice anomaly spreads and moves westward and affects anarea of several 100~000 km$^{2}$. Process studies reveal the complexinteraction between wind, steady and periodic ocean currents: allthree are required in the process of generation of the sea ice andmixed layer anomalies (mainly through tidal flow), their detachmentfrom the topography (caused by steady oceanic flow), and the westwardtranslation of the sea ice anomaly (driven by the time-mean wind).