The NOAAS Fairweather (S 220) is an oceanographic research vessel with a notable history and advanced surveying capabilities. Originally constructed as a "medium survey ship" (MSS 20) for the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey, she was built by Aerojet-General Shipyards in Jacksonville, Florida. The ship was laid down on August 12, 1963, and launched on March 15, 1967. She was commissioned as USC&GS Fairweather (MSS 20) in a ceremony held at the Pacific Marine Center in Seattle, Washington, on October 2, 1968. After the establishment of NOAA on October 3, 1970, she transitioned into NOAA’s fleet as NOAAS Fairweather (S 220). Constructed for hydrographic and geodetic survey missions, Fairweather is sister ship to NOAA's Rainier and the retired Mount Mitchell. She measures approximately 52 feet in length, with a crew complement of about 45 personnel, including NOAA Corps officers and civilian mariners, and spends over 150 days annually at sea. The vessel was deactivated in 1989 but was recommissioned in 2004 following a major refit at Portland, Oregon, to address survey backlogs in Alaskan waters. Her home port is Ketchikan, Alaska, after NOAA condemned her pier in 2008 and later reopened it in 2023. Equipped with sophisticated multibeam echosounders—models EM712 and EM2040—Fairweather is capable of detailed seafloor mapping. Her four survey launches also carry Kongsberg EM2040 echosounders and can deploy L3/Klein System 5000 sidescan sonars, crucial for near-shore Arctic surveys. The vessel's equipment enables the establishment of precise horizontal and vertical control points, facilitating comprehensive ocean floor mapping used in nautical chart updates, tsunami modeling, flood mapping, and habitat studies. Notable recent activities include her 2017 survey that located the wreck of the fishing boat Wind Walker at a depth of approximately 15 meters, following a request from the Coast Guard. She has also participated in search operations, such as attempting to locate the capsized crab-fishing boat Destination in 2017. Her advanced survey capabilities and operational history underscore her significance in supporting NOAA’s scientific and maritime safety missions in Alaskan and Arctic waters.

This description has been generated using GPT-4.1-NANO based on the Vessel's wikidata information and then modified by ShipIndex.org staff.