CCGS Hudson

The CCGS Hudson is an offshore oceanographic and hydrographic survey vessel operated by the Canadian Coast Guard.

CCGS Hudson is Canada's oldest operational ocean research vessel. She was constructed in the early 1960s for the Canadian Oceanographic Service, coinciding with the opening of the Bedford Institute of Oceanography.

Formerly the CSS Hudson, it was the largest vessel built at that time specifically designed for research purposes. For over four decades, Hudson has made significant contributions to knowledge about the oceans through hydrographic surveys and oceanographic research.

Particularly important was a 1970 voyage around both North and South America, the first time a ship made a voyage that transited the Americas. This research voyage established many benchmarks in marine observations, and demonstrated that navigation through the Northwest Passage was fundamentally dangerous because of uncharted undersea mountain peaks. This monumental voyage, in which over 100 scientists participated during various stages, was documented in the 1973 book "Voyage to the Edge of the World" by Alan Edmonds (ISBN 0771030673).

The Government of Canada announced several new shipbuilding projects for the Canadian Coast Guard in 2007, including a replacement for CCGS Hudson to be delivered by 2014, giving her over 50 years of operational service to Canada.

Notable events

 * CCGS Hudson played an important role in searching for the debris of Swissair Flight 111. She has also been involved in several search and rescue missions, most recently rescuing the seven man crew of the fishing vessel Ocean Commander which burned and sank on July 6, 2009.
 * CCGS Hudson conducted the 11 month Hudson 70 cruise - the first ever circumnavigation of North and South America. Scientists from many countries obtained valuable chemical data in the Atlantic, physical data in the Chilean fjords, gravity data in the Pacific and geophysical data in the Arctic.
 * CCGS Hudson conducted the 9 month Hudson 81 cruise - the circumnavigation of North America from east to west via the Panama Canal and the Northwest Passage, without icebreaker support. Commanding Officers during the cruise were: permanent master mariner - F. W. Maugher MM; relieving master - L. A. Strum MM; relieving master - N. S. Norton MM. Anthony David (Tony) O'Connor: ...was Hydrographer-in-Charge and Chief Scientist on board CSS Hudson [CCGS Hudson] for the major cruise [Canadian Arctic portion of Hudson 81] to the Beauford Sea and Northwest Passage.

Replacement plans
In September 2009 the Department of Fisheries and Oceans invited contracts for a vessel to replace the Hudson. Her replacement will also be 90 metres long, and will be staffed by a crew of 28, and can carry 31 additional scientists. Her anticipated completion date would be 2014.

CGS Base Dartmouth
Other Coast Guard vessels at the station:


 * CCGS Sir William Alexander - light Arctic Class 2 icebreaker