Expedition 2026
The scientific expedition aboard the Canadian research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen is preparing for departure in July 2026. The vessel will leave the Port of Québec for 139 days of scientific operations in Arctic and subarctic waters, the longest Amundsen expedition since 2009. Divided into five legs, more than 185 scientists from Canadian and international research institutions will take part in this major expedition aimed at studying the marine and coastal environments of the Labrador Sea, the Canadian Arctic, and Greenlandic waters.
Leg 1 – Imappivut
July 10 (Québec City) to August 6 (Iqaluit)
The first leg of the Amundsen 2026 expedition will carry out scientific operations for two recurring Amundsen programs: Imappivut and Benthic Refuges. These programs bring together scientists and research professionals from the Government of Nunatsiavut, the Nunatsiavut Research Centre, and Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO).
The Imappivut program aims to better understand the distribution of vulnerable marine ecosystems (VMEs) in the coastal and marine waters of Nunatsiavut, the Labrador Sea, and adjacent regions. This year, scientific teams will also explore the continental shelf and the marine ecosystems of Nachvak and Ramah fjords, located within Torngat Mountains National Park.
DFO’s Benthic Refuges program focuses on monitoring sensitive benthic areas within marine refuges in the Eastern Arctic, including the Hatton Basin, Davis Strait, and the Disko Cone conservation areas. Planned scientific operations will examine marine ecosystem distribution, environmental conditions, and ongoing environmental changes in these regions. Scientific teams will conduct dives using a remotely operated vehicle (ROV) to observe habitats and study deep-sea marine ecosystems.
Some dives may also be livestreamed on Amundsen Science’s social media platforms.
Leg 2 – CASCADES (Leg A)
August 6 (Iqaluit) to September 3 (Pituffik Space Base)
During the second leg of the expedition, the first phase of the international CASCADES program will bring the Amundseninto Arctic waters between Canada and Greenland. This multidisciplinary research initiative brings together scientists from the Institut nordique du Québec, the Swiss Polar Institute, the Institut polaire français Paul-Émile Victor, and Canada’s Transforming Climate Action program.
This first phase aims to study Greenland fjord-glacier systems and the marine and coastal ecosystems of Nares Strait. Research teams will also carry out innovative work on understudied whale populations inhabiting certain Greenland fjords. Samples will be collected from whale blows to analyze their DNA and better understand their genetic diversity. Additional projects will focus on the continuous collection of greenhouse gases present in both seawater and the atmosphere.
Ultimately, the international scientific teams aim to better understand the interactions between the ocean, glaciers, marine mammal populations, and ecosystems in Nares Strait and Greenlandic waters.
Leg 3 – MAZE & QEI Survey
September 3 (Pituffik Space Base) to October 1 (Resolute Bay)
The third leg will take place in the High Canadian Arctic and will include the Queen Elizabeth Islands Exploration (QEI) program as well as the MAZE and Retroseep programs. A stop in Grise Fiord is planned during the first days of Leg 3 for a community science day. This event will provide an opportunity for scientific teams to engage with the local community and present the objectives and research activities planned for the expedition.
Returning for a second consecutive year, the QEI program aims to deepen scientific understanding of atmosphere-water-ice systems and water mass circulation in these Arctic regions. Several ice operations are planned on ice islands and glaciers around the Queen Elizabeth Islands and the Tursujuq/Tuqaittuq Marine Protected Area marine protected area.
The MAZE program focuses on fjord and glacier operations, as well as research conducted in sea ice conditions, to study the physical dynamics specific to these environments.
For the first time, the European Retroseep team will join the scientific crew aboard the Amundsen. Their team will conduct an ambitious field program focused on glacial environments and lakes. Several sediment coring operations and water sampling campaigns, both in marine and terrestrial environments, are planned. This work will significantly complement previous Amundsen research in these regions by providing new data on glaciers that had never previously been mapped.
Leg 4 – KEBABB & Davis Strait Gateway
October 1 (Resolute Bay) to October 29 (Iqaluit)
The fourth leg will host the Fisheries and Oceans Canada KEBABB program as well as an international mooring program in Davis Strait.
The KEBABB program (Knowledge and Ecosystem-Based Approach in Baffin Bay) brings together scientists, professionals, and students to characterize the variability and trends in physical, chemical, and biological oceanographic conditions in Baffin Bay. This year marks the seventh year of the KEBABB program aboard the Amundsen, continuing the same sampling lines and long-term monitoring operations. The annual collection of these data contributes to a better understanding of marine habitats and migration patterns of species living in these waters.
At the same time, the Davis Strait mooring program focuses on observing and understanding long-term changes in this strategically important region. A total of 13 mooring lines will be recovered and 13 additional lines will be deployed along this transect.
This leg will also welcome several artists-in-residence on board, who will collaborate with scientific teams to explore new ways of communicating, interpreting, and sharing Arctic research with diverse audiences.
Leg 5 – CASCADES (Leg B)
October 29 (Iqaluit) to November 25 (Québec City)
The fifth and final leg of the expedition corresponds to the second phase of the CASCADES program, which focuses on sea ice formation in western Baffin Bay during the fall season.
Scientific teams will establish four research stations, with locations depending on ice conditions. These stations will allow researchers to study sea ice formation processes and ocean-atmosphere interactions during this critical period of the year. Opportunistic land deployments may also be conducted. In addition, some scientists will study phytoplankton and bacteria present in both the water and the sea ice during this seasonal transition period.
This final leg will complete the observations carried out during the summer, providing an essential seasonal perspective for better understanding Arctic climate and ocean dynamics.
