The NOAA Ship Fairweather in the Gulf of Alaska with namesake Mt. Fairweather in the background during the end of field season transit back to home port in Ketchikan, Alaska. The NOAA Ship Fairweather is one of four NOAA vessels primarily equipped for hydrographic survey operations in support of nautical charting and NOAA's mission to promote safe navigation.  The ship is equipped with the latest in hydrographic survey technology and is named for Mt. Fairweather in southeast Alaska, the highest peak in the Fairweather Range—the tallest coastal range on earth. For more information on the Fairweather and other NOAA vessels visit NOAA’s Office of Marine and Aviation Operations.