Ships
The following table provides a summary of the vessels used by the Canadian Hydrographic Service fleet from 1883 to the present. It is not exhaustive but contains all data currently available. Names that are underlined provide a link to a photo and more information. If you have anything to add or a photo to share, feel free to contact us with your information.
With the establishment of the Marine Sciences Branch on 1 April 1962 all of the Branch ships have been re-designated by the prefix "C.S.S.". This represents their functions of Canadian Survey Ships and/or Canadian Scientific Ships, as appropriate.
For Launches used by CHS, follow the link provided. Launches
Ships below are listed alphabetically by name.
| Name | Year Commis-sioned | Period Used By CHS | Year Decommis-sioned | CHS /Charter /Platform of Opportunity |
| ACADIA | 1913 | - | 1969 | CHS |
| ADVENT | 1972 | - | - | CHS |
| ALGERINE | 1944 | 1951 -1955, 1958, 1959 | - | Charter |
| AMPHION (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| ANN LONG | 1882 | - | 1884 | Charter |
| ANNIE GEELE | 1914 | - | 1915 | Charter |
| ARCTIC | - | 1912 | - | Charter |
| ARCTIC SEALER | 1945 | 1958, 1959 | - | Charter |
| BAFFIN | 1957 | 1957- | 1990 | CHS |
| BAYFIELD I (ex EDSALL) | 1864 | 1884-1913 | 1913 | CHS |
| BAYFIELD II (ex LORD STANLEY) | 1889 | - | 1949 | CHS |
| BAYFIELD III (launch) | 1949 | - | 1963 | CHS |
| BAYFIELD IV (ex HILDUR, built 1960) | 1974 | - | 1993 | CHS |
| BEAVER | - | 1863-1870 | - | Charter |
| BELLECHASE | - | 1936 | - | CHS |
| BELLEROPHON (H.M.S.) | - | 1886-1892 | - | CHS |
| BLAKE (H.M.S.) | - | 1892-1893 | - | CHS |
| BRANDAL M.V. | 1966/67 | Charter | ||
| BURLEIGH | - | 1911 | - | Charter |
| CAMSELL, CCGS |
1961,1963,1966,1973 |
Platform of Opportunity | ||
| CANADIENNE-LA- (ex FOXHOUND) | 1880 | 1906-1909, 1912-1916 | 1920 | CHS |
| CARTIER I | 1910 | - | 1939 | CHS |
| CARTIER II | 1948 | - | 1965(1967?) | CHS |
| C.D. HOWE | 1950 | 1953-1956, 1958,1959 | 1970 | Platform of opportunity |
| CHALLENGER (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| CHRISSIE C. THOMEY | 1910 | Abandoned in ice. | 1913 | CHS |
| CHRISTMAS SEAL | - | 1973-1975, burned 1976 | - | Charter |
| DARING (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| DAWSON | 1967 | - | - | CHS |
| DE LEVIS | 1904 | - | 1908 | CHS |
| D'Iberville | 1952 | 1953-1954, 1958, 1973 | 1983 | Platform of opportunity |
| EGERIA (H.M.S.) | 1874 | 1898-1910 | 1913 (sold) | CHS |
| EHKOLI | 1942 | - | 1967 | CHS |
| F.C.G. SMITH | 1986 | - | - | CHS |
| FORT FRANCES | 1944 | 1949 - 1957 | 1958 | CHS |
| FRANK BURTON | 1901 | - | 1904 | Charter |
| FRANKLIN (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| FREDERICK G. CREED | 1989 | - | CHS | |
| GANNET (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| GRAND MARAIS | - | 1975 | - | Charter |
| GULNARE (built 1893) | 1902 | - | 1949 | CHS |
| HUDSON | 1963 | - | - | CHS |
| JOHN A. MACDONALD | 1962,1973 | |||
| JOHN P. TULLY | 1985 | 1985-1989, 1993 | - | CHS |
| KAPUSKASING | 1944 | - | 1972 | CHS |
| LABRADOR | 1953 | 1954 - 1957 | 1987 | Platform of opportunity |
| LADY CANADIAN | - | 1975 | - | Charter |
| LADY NORTHLAND | - | 1974-1975 | - | Charter |
| LE DOS BLEU | - | 1982-1983 | - | Charter |
| LILLOOET | 1908 | - | 1932 | CHS |
| LIMNOS | 1968 | - | - | CHS |
| LOIS M. LAUZIER | 1977 | - | - | CHS |
| Louis S. St-Laurent | 1969 | ?, 1973 | ? | Platform of opportunity |
| MARABELL | 1943 | - | 1970 | CHS |
| MARLBOROUGH (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| MARTIN KARLSEN | - | 1975-1978 | - | Charter |
| MATTHEW | 1990 | - | CHS | |
| MAXWELL | 1961 | - | 1992 | CHS |
| MCLEAN, CCGS | 1973 (Chesterfield Inlet) | Platform of Opportunity | ||
| META | - | 1978-1979 | - | Charter |
| MINNA | - | 1972-1974,sank 1974 | - | Charter |
| MINTO, Cdn Gov icebreaker, in 1911 major survey vessel in Hudson Bay and Strait, Capt F Anderson in charge | 1911, 1912, 1915 | Cdn Gov icebreaker | ||
| NADEN | 1913 | - | 1918 | CHS |
| NARWHAL, CCGS | 1973 (James Bay) | Platform of Opportunity | ||
| NAVICULA | - | 1981-1983 | - | Charter |
| NORTH STAR IV (ex ROCKY RIVER) | - | sank, 1961 | - | Charter |
| NORTHERN SEAL | 1966 | 1976 | - | Charter |
| NORTHHAMPTON (H.M.S.) | - | 1883-1886 | - | CHS |
| PANDORA II | - | 1977-1978, 1980 | - | Charter |
| PARIZEAU | 1967 | 1973 | 2004 | CHS |
| PARRY (ex TALAPUS, built 1942) | 1945 | - | 1967 | CHS |
| PENDER | 1930 | - | 1950 | CHS |
| PETREL | - | 1977 | - | Charter |
| PILOT #1 | 1928 | - | 1934 | CHS |
| POLAR CIRCLE | - | 1982-1983 | - | Charter |
| R.B. YOUNG | 1990 | - | - | CHS |
| RADELL II | 1941 | - | - | CHS |
| RADIUM EXPRESS | 1953 | 1972-1973, 1975-1979 | - | Platform of opportunity, in 1973 charter |
| RESTLESS (built 1906) | 1908 | 1920-1923 | - | CHS |
| RICHARDSON | 1962 | 1990 | CHS | |
| Sackville | ? | ? | ? | Platform of opportunity |
| SCARBOROUGH (H.M.S.) | - | - | - | CHS |
| SPALDING | - | 1961 | - | Charter |
| STADACONA (ex COLUMBIA) | 1893 | - | 1924 | CHS |
| STANLEY, Capt Dalton 1910 Hudson Bay, exploratory | 1910, | Cdn Gov icebreaker | ||
| STORIS (U.S.S.) | 19561956, 1958, 1959 | Platform of Opportunity | ||
| SURVEYOR | - | 1972 | - | Charter |
| TERRA NOVA | - | 1950 | - | Charter |
| THERON | 1950 | 1954-1957, 1960, 1967. 1973-1976 | - | Charter |
| THETA | 1954 | 1958-1960,1964-1965 | - | Charter |
| TUCHO MARINER | - | 1994 | Charter | |
| VECTOR | 1967 | - | - | CHS |
| W. J. STEWART | 1932 | - | 1976 | CHS |
| WHITETHROAT, ANAV | 1963,1964 | (Annual Report) | ||