Royal Canadian Navy – Auxiliaries and Other Ships

Royal Canadian Navy Auxiliaries and Other Ships

Back to Royal Canadian Navy Mine Warfare Vessels

Replenishment / Resupply vessels

Protecteur class Joint Support Ships (2 units under construction 2023 variant of German Berlin Class Type 702) LOA 545-568′ 166.1-173.7 m TDISP 20,250 tons

HMCS Protecteur JSS-1 building

MV Asterix (2018) built as Cynthia 2010. LOA 598′ / 182.3 m TDISP 26,000 tons. Converted from commercial vessel, at Davie Shipbuilding QC 2017. This will bridge the gap in AOR replenishment resupply vessels created by the early retirement of the Protecteur class.

USS Dewey Replenishment-At-Sea with MV Asterix
MV Asterix alongside USS Dewey during RIMPAC 2018 exercises US Navy Official 4585423 PO2 Devin Langer

MV Asterix RCN supply 2019 SingaporeMV Asterix RCN supply 2021 HalifaxMV Asterix RCN supply 2017 Davie Levis QC

Protecteur Class Auxiliary Replenishment Oiler LOA 564′ / 171.9 m TDISP 24,500 tons (2 retired, both scrapped)

HMCS Protecteur AOR-509 (1969 – 2015)HMCS Protecteur Esquimalt 2015

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HMCS Protecteur conducting an RAS with an Iroquois Class destroyer 1981 Library and Archives Canada Crown Copyright HSC81-74-14

HMCS Protecteur Esquimalt 2013

DESERT STORM
HMCS Protecteur during Operation Friction (Desert Storm) Note 3″ gun fitted in bow position NARA: 330-CFD-DN-ST-91-04795 JO1 Joe Gawlowicz

HMCS Preserver AOR-510 (1970 – 2017)HMCS Preserver Halifax 2016HMCS Preserver 2017 Sydney NS.jpg

HMCS Provider AOR 508 (1963-1998) LOA 551′ / 168m TDISP 22,000 tons. Scrapped 2002 in Turkey. Heavily modified from the design of the Paul Revere class USN assault transports.

RIMPAC '88
HMCS Provider AOR-508 approaches the battleship USS Missouri BB-63 underway off the coast of Hawaii during Exercise RimPac ’88. [detail of] Credit: USN DNST9112048 via NARA (PHAN Brad Dillon, USN)
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HMCS Provider AOR-508 at Esquimalt. National Air Photo Library (NRCAN) aerial roll A23658 photo 45. 1974/04/03. Crown Copyright.

Icebreakers

HMCS Labrador AW-50 (1954-1957) Wind-class variant. LOA 269′ / 82m TDISP 6,500 tons . Transferred to the Canadian Coast Guard served as CCGS Labrador (1958-1989) scrapped.

HMCSLabrador CT prefix image
HMCS Labrador leading way for US Coast Guard ships USGCS Bramble, Storis, Spar through Bellot straight Sep. 1957. Credit: Library and Archives Canada CT-606.
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CCGS Labrador at Halifax shipyards, 17 June 1965. Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN V RR2677 photo 779 Crown Copyright

Maintenance / Repair Ships

Cape Class LOA 442′ /135m TDISP 14,400 tons Beechey Head depot, maintenance, repair ships, a variation of Second World War Park class merchant ships.

HMCS Cape Breton ARE-100 (1952-1963) built Vancouver as HMS Flamborough Head (1944-1952) used as a alongside maintenance facility until late 1990s. Sunk as artificial reef 2001. See our post on Cape Breton for more info.

HMCSCapeBretonCN6406_Crowsnest14-3_JAN1962insidecover
HMCS Cape Breton ARE-100 DND CN-6406 image taken from Crowsnest 14/3 Jan.1962 inside cover.
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HMCS Cape Breton at Esquimalt, BC 1974/4/3. Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN A23658 photo 45 Crown Copyright

HMCS Cape Breton North Vancouver 2000-12

HMCS Cape Scott Are-101 (1952-1975) built as HMS Beachy Head (1944-1952) also with Dutch service. Scrapped 1978.

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Halifax naval dockyard, 17 June 1965. Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN V RR2677 photo 779 Crown Copyright

Hydrofoils

HMCS Bras d’Or FHE-400 unique hydrofoil design (1968 – 1971) LOA 164′ / 50 m TDISP 240 tons. preserved as a Museum Ship L’Islet-sur-Mer, QC

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HMCS Bras d’Or cutaway Copyright belongs to the Crown: Library and Archives Canada Mikan 5014188

HMCS Bras d'or FHE-400 QC 2011HMCS Bras d'or FHE-400 QC 2017.jpg

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HMCS Bras d’Or flying (foil-borne) 1970: Library and Archives Canada Copyright belongs to the Crown REC70-367

R-103 Baddeck (Original name Bras d’Or until 1962) (1957 – 1973) LOA 59′ / 18 m TDISP 17 tons, preserved in a disassembled state at the Canada Museum of Science and Technology Ottawa. This experimental hydrofoil helped test technologies used on the later HMCS Bras d’Or.

1990.0323.001.aa.cs R-103 Baddeck CSTMC catalog
R-103 Baddeck / Bras d’Or Canada Science and Technology Museum artifact 1990.0323.001 when it was on exterior display / storage. This image sourced from the museum’s online catalog.
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Baddeck at the Government Wharf, Dartmouth 17 June 1965. Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN VRR2647 photo 779 Crown Copyright.
R-103 Bras d'Or-Baddeck CITY OF OTTAWA GEO
R-103 Baddeck at rear of Canada Museum of Science and Technology, where it was on outside display in the 1990s and early 2000s. This view shows the very narrow transom. The foils were stored elsewhere. Contains information licensed under the Open Government Licence – City of Ottawa.

Hydrographic Survey

CFAV Quest AGOR-172 (1969-2016) LOA 235′ / 71.6 m TDISP 2,100 tons scrapped 2018

TREX 2013 ongoing in Gulf of Mexico
CFAV Quest, ca. May 2013, during at-sea personnel transfers near Panama City Beach, FL. US Navy Official 926374 Jacqui Barker (or Ben Brand – photo attribution statements on DOD DVIDS do not match).

CFAV Quest Halifax 2016

CFAV Endeavour AGOR-171 (1965-2000) LOA 236′ / 72m TDISP 1,550 tons

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HMCS/CFAV Endeavour AGOR-171 at Esquimalt, 1974/04/03 Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN A23658 photo 45 Crown Copyright.

CSS/HMCS Acadia (1913) LOA 182′ / 55.5 m TDISP 1,050 tons Canadian Hydrographic Service (commissioned patrol ship HMCS Acadia during both World Wars) museum ship since 1982

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HMCS Acadia ca. 1918 Library and Archives Canada CN-3278

HMCS Acadia Halifax 2016

CNAV/CFAV Bluethroat AGOR-114 (1955-1990) LOA 156′ / 47.5m TDISP 780 tons. Originally built as a minelayer.

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CNAV Bluethroat( inboard vessel) at Esquimalt. Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN A30012 photo 022. Crown Copyright.

Diving Support Vessel

HMCS Cormorant ASL-20 (1975 – 1997) originally built as commercial vessel Aspa Quarto 1965 LOA 245′ / 74.7 m TDISP 2,350 tons despite being sold to US buyers, the ship has been laid up in a deteriorated state at Bridgewater NS (LaHave River) ever since. Shortly after the below capture the vessel partially capsized.

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Ex-HMCS Cormorant, laid up on the LaHave River, at Bridgewater NS, Summer 2019. Courtesy of Jeff Noakes.

HMCS Cormorant_crop_formerNova_Scotia_DSC_1212_(2239645527)
HMCS Cormorant, feb. 2008 at the dock in Bridgewater NS, where it has sat for many years the stern of the ex- HMCS Frasier is at left [Detail of]. Credit: Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada / CC BY-SA
HMCS Cormorant Bridgewater NS 2015

Sechelt Class LOA 108′ / 32.9 m TDISP 290 tons (4, all in service 1990) all were originally Torpedo and Sound Ranging Vessels (TSRVs) operating at the Canadian Forces Maritime
Experimental Test Range (Nanoose, BC). In the late 1990s, two were converted to diving tenders, with Sechelt operating out of Halifax and Sooke at Esquimalt.

International Fleet Review rehearsal
CFAV Sechelt YDT-610, Halifax NS, May 2010 preparing for the International Fleet Review to mark the 100th anniversary of the Royal Canadian Navy. Credit: Combat Camera ISX2010-0518 Jacek Szymanski © 2010 DND-MDN Canada

CFAV Sikanni and Stikine (both 1990)Sechelt Class Nanoose Bay 2016

CFAV Sooke (1990)

Sechelt Class Esquimalt 2018
Based on location this is most likely dive support tender CFAV Sooke.

Gate Vessels

Porte Class Gate / Boom Defence / naval reserve training Vessels 1951-1996 (5 built, all retired) LOA 125′ / 38.1 m TDISP 500 tons

porte plan LAC
Plan of HMCS Porte Quebec (detail of). Credit: LAC RG24M 84503/38
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Porte Class gate vessel, Esquimalt 1965/04/12. National Air Photo Library VRR2634 photo 1047 NRCAN

HMCS Porte de la Reine and HMCS Porte Quebec (both commissioned 1952) Extensively converted and then seized in Washington State. Reportedly scrapped 2015.

Porte class RCN vessels Washington 2011

Small Tankers

Dun Class Coastal Tanker LOA 179′ /54.6 m TDISP 950 tons (2, both now scrapped)

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A Dun class coastal tanker at Esquimalt, 1965/04/12 Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN Crown Copyright.

HMCS / CFAV Dundurn Z41/502 (1942-1993) after service as a naval auxiliary, served as a breakwater in North Vancouver until mid-2014, when Dundurn was removed to the Fraser River and then scrapped.

HMCS Dundurn tanker North VAN 2009HMCS Dundurn tanker North VAN 2014

Sail Training Vessels

HMCS Oriole sail training ship, (commissioned in RCN 1956) rigged as a ketch LOA 102′ / 31.1 m TDISP 92 tons. Originally built as yacht Oriole IV (1921) and was the flagship of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club (Toronto). During the Second World War she was used by the Navy League of Canada to train sea cadets and then by the RCN from 1943.

Great Lakes Deployment 2019
HMCS Oriole participates in Parade of Sail Toronto harbour, June 2019. Crown Copyright by Department of National Defence SCAD-2019-0004-224 LS A.J. Domingo

HMCS Oriole Esquimalt 2016

Tugboats

Saint class LOA 152′ / 46.2m TDISP 860 tons (3 built, service 1957-ca.1990)

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Saint Class tugboat St. Anthony at Esquimalt, 1965/04/12 Credit: National Air Photo Library NRCAN Crown Copyright.

Survey vessel / yard auxiliary / training boat

Pogo ex-YFL-104 (1954), LOA 36′ / 11 m TDISP 9 tons. Hydrographic sounding boat originally constructed 1954 to accompany Icebreaker HMCS Labrador on northern voyages for surveying work. Pogo had echo sounding equipment and could produce surveys herself, and was an important element of the RCN surveying work performed by Labrador. Pogo has had a varied career [which can be read about at this link to the Outaouais Branch history of her] , and after 2005 has been under the care of the Outaouais Branch of the Navy League of Canada, at the Hull QC Marina.

Pogo2011-1_Affaires maritime hull
Pogo ca. 2011 near the Hull, Quebec Marina, across from Ottawa. Courtesy Jacques Drouin, Affaires Maritimes. http://www.affairesmaritimes.org/

Pogo YFL-104 Ottawa 2018

Pogo leading HMCS Labrador through the Bellot Strait, conducting soundings, Aug. 1957. Credit Library and Archives Canada / Department of National Defence CT-585.

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