NOAA Research and Survey Ships
(Ships in Service Since NOAA's Formation in 1970)
Most recent update: January 8, 2021.
This table lists all the ships that have served NOAA since its formation in 1970, including those that began their service before 1970 and those that are no longer active. Those vessels that served the Coast & Geodetic Survey (and its predecessors) and were retired before 1970 are listed here and those that served the Fisheries & Wildlife Service (and its predecessors) and were retired before 1970 are listed here. In this table, an R in the first column stands for Research, an S for Survey.
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| Name | Builder | GT | LOA | Price ($M) | Delivered | Notes | ||
| R-101 | Oceanographer | Jacksonville | 633 | 3,700 | 303 | 9.5 | 13 Jul 1966 | sold 1997 as Protector, sold 2005 as cruise ship Sahara |
| R-102 | Discoverer | Jacksonville | 634 | 3,700 | 303 | 8.8 | 29 Apr 1967 | sold 1996 for conversion to cruise ship LaMer, but not converted |
| R-103 | Researcher | AmShip Toledo | 198 | 900 | 278 | 8.4 | 8 Oct 1970 | later Malcolm Baldridge, sold 1996 as cruise ship Ushuaia (Argentina) |
| R-104 | Ronald H. Brown | Halter Marine | 1417 | 3,250 | 274 | 33.6 | 19 Jul 1997 | based in Charleston SC |
| R-105 | Oceanographer | Thoma-Sea | 79.0 | building, to be based in Honolulu HI | ||||
| R-106 | Discoverer | Thoma-Sea | 79.0 | building, base TBD | ||||
| S-132 | Surveyor | NASSCO | 316 | 2,650 | 292 | 7.2 | 29 Apr 1960 | sold 1995 as OSS-2 (ON 1225104), laid up in Tacoma WA |
| S-220 | Fairweather | Aerojet-General | 644 | 1,800 | 231 | 5.0 | 2 Oct 1968 | based in Ketchikan AK |
| S-221 | Rainier | Aerojet-General | 645 | 1,800 | 231 | 5.0 | 2 Oct 1968 | based in Seattle WA |
| S-222 | Mount Mitchell | Aerojet-General | 639 | 1,800 | 231 | 5.4 | 23 Mar 1968 | sold 2001 as Mt. Mitchell (ON 1081092) |
| S-222 | Thomas Jefferson | Halter Marine | 1168 | 1,250 | 208 | 14.0 | 15 Nov 1991 | ex-Littlehales (T-AGS-52), acquired 2003, based in Norfolk VA |
| R-223 | Miller Freeman | AmShip Lorain | 879 | 1,920 | 215 | 3.4 | 15 Jun 1967 | sold 2013 as Miller Freeman (ON 508932), laid up in Seattle WA |
| R-224 | Oscar Dyson | VT Halter Marine | 1944 | 1,250 | 209 | 41.0 | 5 Jan 2005 | based in Kodiak AK |
| R-225 | Henry B. Bigelow | VT Halter Marine | 1953 | 1,250 | 209 | 38.8 | 22 Jun 2006 | based in Woods Hole MA |
| R-226 | Pisces | VT Halter Marine | 1956 | 1,250 | 209 | 38.0 | 6 Jun 2009 | based in Pascagoula MS |
| R-227 | Bell M. Shimada | VT Halter Marine | 1957 | 1,250 | 209 | 30.0 | 3 Feb 2010 | based in Newport OR |
| R-228 | Reuben Lasker | Marinette Marine | 1,250 | 209 | 73.6 | 7 Mar 2014 | based in San Diego CA | |
| S-250 | Ferdinand R. Hassler | VT Halter Marine | 1965 | 809 | 124 | 15.0 | 23 May 2011 | based in Norfolk VA |
| S-328 | Peirce | Marietta Mfg. | 902 | 907 | 163 | 2.3 | 6 May 1963 | to Intrepid Museum 1993 as Elizabeth M. Fisher, sold 1999 as yacht Avedonia (ON 1039191), King |
| S-329 | Whiting | Marietta Mfg. | 903 | 907 | 163 | 2.4 | 8 Jul 1963 | to Mexico 2005 as ARM Rio Tuxpan (BI-12) |
| S-330 | McArthur | Norshipco | 164 | 995 | 175 | 2.9 | 15 Dec 1966 | sold 2006 as McArthur (ON 1197412), laid up 2010 |
| R-330 | McArthur II | Tacoma boat | 409 | 2,300 | 224 | 12.0 | 27 Nov 1985 | ex-Indomitable (T-AGOS 7), acquired 2002, inactive 2014 |
| S-331 | Davidson | Norshipco | 165 | 995 | 175 | 3.4 | 10 Mar 1967 | sold 1989, Nigerian-flag |
| R-332 | Oregon II | Ingalls | 1149 | 952 | 170 | 3.1 | 15 Aug 1967 | based in Pascagoula MS |
| R-333 | Ka'imimoana | Halter Marine | 1125 | 2,300 | 224 | 14.0 | 8 Mar 1989 | ex-Titan (T-AGOS 15), acquired 1993, inactive 2014 |
| R-334 | Hi'ialakai | Tacoma boat | 405 | 2,300 | 224 | 12.0 | 20 Nov 1984 | ex-Vindicator (T-AGOS 3), acquired 2002, active, based in Honolulu HI |
| R-335 | Oscar Elton Sette | Halter Marine | 1123 | 2,300 | 224 | 14.0 | 19 Aug 1988 | ex-Adventurous (T-AGOS 13), acquired 1992, active, based in Honolulu HI |
| R-336 | Gordon Gunter | Halter Marine | 1128 | 2,300 | 224 | 14.0 | 12 Jan 1990 | ex-Relentless (T-AGOS 18), acquired 1993, active, based in Pascagoula MS |
| R-337 | Okeanos Explorer | Halter Marine | 1126 | 2,300 | 224 | 14.0 | 9 Jun 1989 | ex-Capable (T-AGOS 16), acquired 2004, active, based in N. Kingstown RI |
| Pribilof | Higgins Industries | 1,187 | 223 | 1964 | ex-FSR 791, sold 1975 | |||
| R-342 | Albatross IV | Southern Sbldg. | 46 | 1,089 | 187 | 3.9 | May 1963 | sold 2008 as UAT-1 Cidiport (Mexico) |
| R-352 | Nancy Foster | McDermott | 290 | 1,168 | 186 | 30 Oct 1992 | ex-Agate Pass (YTT-12), acquired 2000, active, based in Charleston SC | |
| R-441 | George B. Kelez | Ingalls IW | 610 | 550 | 177 | 21 Feb 1945 | ex-FS-400, AKL-31, acquired 1962, sold 1982, Smugglers Point | |
| R-443 | Townsend Cromwell | McDermott | 308 | 652 | 163 | 1.3 | July 1963 | to American Samoa 2002, sold 2003, Lau Trader (Fiji) |
| R-444 | David Starr Jordan | Christy Corp. | 419 | 993 | 171 | 3.1 | Jan 1966 | sold 2011 as Ocean Starr (ON 1237165) |
| R-445 | Delaware II | South Portland | 101 | 758 | 155 | 2.2 | Oct 1968 | sold 2012 as Med Surveyor (Greece) |
| R-446 | Chapman | Bender SB | 748 | 520 | 127 | 3.1 | July 1980 | to U. of Puerto Rico 1998, sold 2008 as Curasub (Curacao) |
| R-492 | Ferrel | Zigler Shipyards | 187 | 360 | 133 | 1.0 | 4 Jun 1968 | inactive 2002 |
| R-551 | Oregon | Gunderson | 219 | 100 | 1946 | ex-Oregon (ON 251138), acquired 1949, sold 1980 | ||
| R-552 | John N. Cobb | Western boat | 250 | 93 | Feb 1950 | inactive 2008 | ||
| S-590 | Rude | Jakobson | 428 | 220 | 90 | 1.2 | Mar 1967 | to EPA 2009 as Lake Explorer II |
| S-591 | Heck | Jakobson | 429 | 220 | 90 | 1.2 | Mar 1967 | sold 2001 |
| R-663 | Murre II | Maritime SY | 95 | 86 | 1944 | ex-BSP-1915, acquired 1949, sold 1991 | ||
| R-8001 | Laurentian | F. B. Walker | 129 | 73 | 1974 | to U. Michigan 2003 | ||
| Curlew II | NASSCO | 65 | 1953 | ex-T-446, acquired 1969, sold 2012 |