List of seaplane carriers by country

Last updated July 25, 2025

The list of seaplane carriers by country includes seaplane carriers and tenders organized by country of origin and service.

Australia

HMAS Albatross: seaplane tender in service from 1928 to 1933, later HMS Albatross

Colombia

MC Cucuta : (After 1936 as ARC Cucuta) Equipped with 3 Curtiss Falcon, also used as the first training ship of the Colombian Navy

France

Foudre: Converted Torpedo boat Tender in service as a seaplane carrier from 1914 to 1918
Compinas: Converted merchant ship in service as a seaplane tender from 1915 to 1916
Nord: Converted merchant ship in service as a seaplane tender from 1915 to 1919
Pas-de-Calais: Converted merchant ship in service as a seaplane tender from 1915 to 1919
Rouen: Converted merchant ship in service as a seaplane tender from 1916 to 1919
Petrel-class: Eight light inshore seaplane tenders in service from 1931 into World War II
Commandant Teste : Seaplane transport and tender in service from 1932 to 1942
Belfort: Converted Arras-class aviso in service from 1939 to 1946
Diligente: Converted Friponne-class sloop in service during 1940
Paul Goffeny: Former German tug type seaplane tender in service from 1948 to 1955
Robert Giraud: Former German tug type seaplane tender in service from 1948 to 1963
Marcel le Bihan: Seaplane support ship from 1948 to 1961

Ethiopia

Training ship Ethiopia

Germany

World War I seaplane carriers

Answald (FS 1) auxiliary seaplane carrier
Santa Elena (FS II) auxiliary seaplane carrier
Oswald (FS III) auxiliary seaplane carrier
Glyndwr auxiliary seaplane carrier
Adeline Hugo Stinnes auxiliary small seaplane carrier
Stuttgart seaplane cruiser
Roon planned seaplane cruiser

Civil Tender type catapult seaplane tenders

World War II seaplane tenders (Luftwaffe)

Sperber catapult seaplane tender
Bussard-class catapult seaplane tenders
- Bussard
- Falke
Krischan-class small seaplane tenders
- Krischan
- Gunther Pluschow
- Bernard Von Tschirschy
- Hans Rolshoven
Karl Meyer-class small seaplane tenders
- Karl Meyer
- Max Stinsky
- Imelmann
- Boelcke
Hans Albrecht Wedel-class small seaplane tenders
- Hans Albrecht Wedel
- Richthofen
- Hermann Kohl
Greif small seaplane tender
Ex-French Sans Souci-class small seaplane tenders
- Jupiter/Merkur (SG1)
- Saturn/Uranus (SG2)
- Uranus/Saturn (SG3)
- Merkur/Jupiter (SG4)

Italy

Giuseppe Miraglia seaplane carrier (converted from train ferry shortly after launch), 1923–1950
Europa (1895) (merchantman converted to seaplane carrier) – stricken 1920

Japan

Akitsushima
Kamoi
Chitose-class (2 ships; both were converted to aircraft carriers)
Mizuho
Notoro
Kamikawa Maru-class (4 ships, converted merchantmen)
Nisshin
I-400-class submarine 3 ships able to carry 3 seaplanes each

Netherlands

Source:^[1]

Merel-class auxiliary small seaplane tenders:
- HNLMS Merel
- HNLMS Reiger
- HNLMS Fazant
Serdang-class converted MTB- and seaplane tenders:
- HNLMS Serdang
- HNLMS Koetei
- HNLMS Siboga
Valk-class opium hunters used for escorting duty and as seaplane tenders:
- HNLMS Valk
- HNLMS Arend
HNLMS Zuiderkruis: A converted supply ship used as seaplane tender.

Portugal

SS Cubango – cargo ship converted in a seaplane tender in 1931

Spain

Dedalo 9,900 ton ex-German cargo ship Neuenfels 1901, transferred to Spain 1921, converted to seaplane carrier 1922. Scrapped 1 March 1940

Romania

Regele Carol I – passenger steamer leased to Russia during World War I and converted to seaplane tender and minelayer, sunk during World War II in October 1941

Russia

Russia is one of birthplaces of naval aviation. Catchinskaia school of aviators (near Sevastopol) began to work in 1910 under the patronage of Admiral, Grand Duke Aleksandr Michailowich (Romanov-dynasty). Ships:

Almaz – Russian for "Diamond". Light (3d rank) cruiser of The Russian Imperial Navy. Veteran of the Tsushima Battle. Transferred from Far East to Black Sea Fleet. Participated in the 1914 Battle of Cape Sarytch (against "Goeben") and First Bombardment of Bosphorus 28 March 1915. In November 1914 converted to hydrocruiser (hydro aircraft carrier). Seaplanes from Almaz provide bombardment the targets on the Turkish and Bulgarian shores. After the October Revolution ship acquired a terrible reputation as a floating prison, where in 1918 revolutionary sailors executed the enemies of the revolution – officers, merchants and other "bourgeois" and "counter-revolutionaries".
Imperator Nikolai I – Russian for "Emperor Nicholas The First". Hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet. Aircraft from cruiser supported Army assaults on Caucasian Front, participated in Trapesund landings 1916.
Princessa Maria – Russian for "Princess Maria". Hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet, converted from a Romanian liner.
Orlitsa – Russian for "She-Eagle", hydro-avia-transport of the Baltic Fleet. Attached to the Sea Force Riga Gulf. The day 16 of July 1916 when M-9s from "Orlitsa" engaged in a battle with four German sea planes and shot down two, is now celebrated in Russia as the Day of Naval Aviation.
Imperator Trajan – Russian for "Emperor Trajan", hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet, converted from Romanian steamer. Take active service during WWI Black Sea Campaign.
Dacia – hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet. Converted from a Romanian steamer. Take active service during WWI Black Sea Campaign.
Imperator Alexandr I – Russian "Emperor Alexander The First", hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet. Converted from a merchant steamer. Sea planes from "Alexander I" and "Nicholas I" 24.01.1916 participated in bombing Turkish port of Zonguldak and sinking transports there. Later participated in Trebizond landings – aircraft from the ship covered landing ships and acted as artillery observers for the battleships.
Ruminia – Russian for "Romania". Hydro-avia-transport of the Black Sea Fleet. Converted from Romanian merchant steamer.
Communa – Russian for "Commune". One of the hydro-avia-transports of the Bolshevik Volga Military Flotilla during the Russian Civil War. Participated in fighting against White movement fleets and armies on the Volga river.

Sweden

United Kingdom

HMS Hermes protected cruiser converted to seaplane carrier in 1913
HMS Ark Royal first purpose-built seaplane carrier, commissioned 1914
HMS Empress (1914–1919) packet ship converted to seaplane carrier in 1914
HMS Engadine packet ship converted to seaplane tender in 1914
HMS Riviera (1914–1919) packet ship converted to seaplane tender in 1914
HMS Campania ocean liner converted to seaplane tender in 1915
HMS Anne freighter used as seaplane carrier
HMS Raven II freighter used as seaplane carrier
HMS Ben-my-Chree packet steamer converted to seaplane carrier in 1915
HMS Vindex passenger ferry converted to seaplane carrier 1915
HMS Manxman steamer converted to seaplane carrier in 1916
HMS Pegasus purchased incomplete and converted to seaplane carrier 1917
HMS M2 – M-class submarine converted to carry a seaplane in 1927
HMS Albatross: seaplane tender in service from 1938 to 1945, former HMAS Albatross
HMS Manela steamer converted to seaplane tender in 1939

United States

For an explanation of the US Navy AV, AVD, and AVP seaplane tender (and other) designations see the Hull classification symbol article.

United States AVs

United States AVDs

United States AVPs

Yugoslavia

Zmaj entered service in 1930, converted to minelayer in 1937

Notes

↑ Mark, Chris (1997). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II. Alkmaar, Holland: De Alk. ISBN 978-90-6013-522-8.

Bibliography

Smythe, A. J. & Caruana, Joseph (1988). "Question 18/87". Warship International. XXV (3): 315. ISSN 0043-0374.
Voss, Maurice (1989). "Question 14/88". Warship International. XXVI (2): 204–205. ISSN 0043-0374.

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[1] Mark, Chris (1997). Schepen van de Koninklijke Marine in W.O. II. Alkmaar, Holland: De Alk. ISBN 978-90-6013-522-8.

[1]