Key Takeaways

  • HMCS Robert Hampton Gray reached its new home port of Esquimalt on November 6, completing only the third complete Arctic transit through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in Royal Ca
  • The ship left Halifax on August 14 with a crew of about 90, spent 83 days away from home port (76 at sea), and visited Nuuk in Greenland and Dutch Harbor, Anchorage and Juneau in A
  • The ship is to be commissioned in Victoria on November 16, 2026, under its commanding officer, Commander Brian Henwood.

83 Days at Sea. A Historic Journey Across Canada's Arctic.

A Canadian Navy ship has just completed a journey that only two Royal Canadian Navy ships had accomplished before it.

HMCS Robert Hampton Gray arrived at its new home port of Esquimalt, B.C., on November 6, completing the third full Arctic transit through the Canadian Arctic Archipelago in Royal Canadian Navy history.

But this voyage made history in another way, too. For the first time, a Royal Canadian Navy ship relocated from the Atlantic Fleet to the Pacific Fleet using this Arctic route.

76 Days at Sea, Four Major Operations

The ship left Halifax on August 14 with a crew of about 90, and spent 83 days away from home port, 76 of them at sea.

Along the way it served as Task Group command ship for Operation NANOOK-TUUGAALIK, working with the Canadian Coast Guard, the Royal Danish Navy and the French Navy, then took part in Operation NANOOK-NUNAKPUT in Resolute, Exercise ARCTIC GHOST and Operation LATITUDE.

This wasn't simply a transfer from one coast to another. It was a working deployment across Canada's northern waters.

From Greenland to Alaska

The voyage also took the ship through some remarkable northern destinations. Its port visits included Nuuk in Greenland, followed by Dutch Harbor, Anchorage and Juneau in Alaska.

Commanded by Commander Brian Henwood, HMCS Robert Hampton Gray is now based on Canada's Pacific coast. Its next major milestone is already scheduled: the ship will be commissioned in Victoria on November 16, 2026.

The Twikup Take

Moving a warship from Halifax to Esquimalt is impressive. Doing it through the Arctic, while commanding multinational operations and supporting Canada's northern missions, makes it historic.

An Arctic and Offshore Patrol Vessel has reached the Pacific after a journey that changed a small but significant piece of naval history.

HMCS Robert Hampton Gray, Port of Juneau, Gastineau Channel, Southeast Alaska. by Gillfoto, CC BY-SA 4.0.

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