<p>Structure-ice interaction problems have attracted increasing attention, yet accurately predicting the loads exerted by sea ice on ship hulls remains a significant challenge. Over the past few decades, various numerical methods have been employed to simulate ice resistance on ships and evaluate their manoeuvrability during ice-structure interaction. Among these approaches, the circumferential crack method has demonstrated both high efficiency and accuracy. This paper provides a detailed introduction to the fundamental theory of this method, including the numerical modeling of different failure modes and the dynamic ice motion responses. Furthermore, it reviews existing studies on predicting ice resistance and assessing the manoeuvrability of icebreakers navigating through ice-covered regions using the circumferential crack method. Several recommendations for future research in this field are also presented.</p>