A hydrographic survey ship is a vessel designed to conduct hydrographic research and survey. Nautical charts are produced from this information to ensure safe navigation by military and civilian shipping.

The Project 872 Finik-class hydrographic vessels has a length of 61,3 m, a width of 10,8 m and a draft of 3,2 m. The vessel has a standard displacement of 939 tonnes and full load displacement of 1190 tonnes. It has a maximum speed of 13,4 knots, range of 4356 nmi at 11,8 knots and an endurance of 15 days. The vessel is equipped with 2 Mius navigation radars, Rumb radio direction finder. The vessel is powered by two 960 hp Cegielski-Sulzer 6AL25/30 diesels rotating two controllable pitch propellers. It also has two 143 hp mSS5e electric motors, and three 192 kW diesel generators. The vessel has a crew of 27 and it can carry a research team of 9 persons.

Small hydrographic survey vesses of this project in two modifications served on all fleets of the USSR and later - the Russian Federation. In total, 23 vessels of this type were built for the Navy.

Hydrographic Survey Vessel GS-401 laid down 13 February 1979 at the Stocznia Polnocna Shipyard, Gdansk, Poland (yard No.872/7), launched 08 May1979, commissioned 31 August 1979 and was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet.

In April 1994 the vessel was transferred to the Ukraine, and sold to AO «Torgoviy dom «Gess i Ko». From 1995 - as cargo-passengers ship Gess, in 1999 renamed to Gess G. In 2003 decommissioned after fire aboard 18.01.2003. After sludge in the Southern Bay of Sevastopol, the ship was cut into metal in Inkerman in 2007.