An official website of the United States government

Here's how you know

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Ships of NOAA

NOAA currently operates a fleet of 15 research and survey vessels and is in the process of building more. These ships can be broken down into three general classifications of mission focus: hydrography, fisheries, and oceanography.  However, the missions of a NOAA ship can change to adapt to the needs of the nation at any time.

Hydrographic vessels map the ocean to aid maritime commerce and aid in safe navigation. These vessels use a multibeam system to acquire incredibly accurate depth information and deploy smaller survey launches to map shallower areas. The use of state-of-the-art uncrewed systems is quickly growing on these platforms.

Fisheries vessels study marine life and ocean conditions. They utilize a diverse array of acoustic instruments, nets, and other tools to catch fish and plankton, collect water samples, and measure ocean conditions to assess the health of fish populations and living resources. 

Oceanographic vessels are the most diverse group of ships. Their missions include conducting meteorological observation and sensor deployment, measuring ocean conditions, ocean exploration, and monitoring National Marine Sanctuaries. They also collect plankton and engage in mapping operations.

NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown . Credit: NOAA

NOAA Ship Fairweather

Homeport: Ketchikan, Alaska

Primary Operating Areas: Alaskan coastal waters

Primary Operations: Shipboard Hydrographic Mapping, Survey Launch Mapping

More information: NOAA Ship Fairweather Details

Social Media: Facebook Page

NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson

Homeport: Kodiak, Alaska

Primary Operating Areas: Gulf of Alaska and Bering Sea

Primary Operations: Bottom Trawling, Plankton Tows, CTD, Mammal Surveys

More Information: NOAA Ship Oscar Dyson Details

NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette

Homeport: Honolulu, Hawaii

Primary Operating Areas: Hawaii, Guam, American Samoa, Marianas Islands

Primary Operations: Dive operations, Marine Mammal Surveys, Plankton Tows, Drop Cameras, Remote Field Camp Support

More Information: NOAA Ship Oscar Elton Sette Details

NOAA Ship Nancy Foster

Homeport: Charleston, South Carolina

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea

Primary Operations: ROV, Mapping, Small Boat Diving, Plankton tows, CTD

More Information: NOAA Ship Nancy Foster Details

NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada

Homeport: Newport, Oregon

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. West Coast, Gulf of Alaska

Primary Operations: Fisheries Acoustic Surveys, Midwater Trawling, Plankton Tows, CTDs

More Information: NOAA Ship Bell M. Shimada Details

NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler

Homeport: New Castle, NH

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico

More Information: NOAA Ship Ferdinand R. Hassler Details

NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter

Homeport: Pascagoula, Mississippi

Primary Operating Areas: Gulf of Mexico, U.S. East Coast

Primary Operations: Marine Mammal Surveys, Marine Mammal Acoustic Surveys, Plankton Tows, CTDs, Buoy Deployment and Recovery.

More Information: NOAA Ship Gordon Gunter Details

NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow

Homeport: Newport, Rhode Island

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. East Coast

Primary Operations: Bottom Trawling, Plankton Tows, CTDs, ROV, Mammal Surveys

More Information: NOAA Ship Henry B. Bigelow Details

NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer

Primary Operating Areas: Global

Primary Operations: Ocean Exploration, ROV, Mapping

More Information: NOAA Ship Okeanos Explorer Details

NOAA Ship Oregon II

Primary Operating Areas: Gulf of Mexico, U.S. Southeast Coast

Primary Operations: Longlining, Plankton Tows, Bottom Trawling

More Information: NOAA Ship Oregon II Details

NOAA Ship Pisces

Primary Operations: Fish Traps, Drop Cameras, CTD, Plankton Tows, Marine Mammal Surveys

More Information: NOAA Ship Pisces Details

NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson

Homeport: Norfolk, Virginia

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. East Coast, Gulf of Mexico, Great Lakes

More Information: NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson Details

NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown

Primary Operations: Buoy Deployment and Recovery, CTDs, Meteorological Studies, Bottom Sampling

More Information: NOAA Ship Ronald H. Brown Details

NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker

Homeport: San Diego, California

Primary Operating Areas: U.S. West Coast, Hawaii, Alaska

Primary Operations: Midwater Trawling, Fisheries Acoustic Surveys, Plankton Tows, CTDs

More Information: NOAA Ship Reuben Lasker Details

NOAA Ship Rainier

Primary Operating Areas: Alaskan coastal waters, Hawaii, American Samoa, Marianas Islands

Primary Operations: Shipboard Hydrographic Mapping, Survey Launch Mapping, Small Boat Diving

More Information: NOAA Ship Rainier Details

United States