The Royal Canadian Navy welcomed today MV Asterix, an auxiliary oiler replenishment (AOR) vessel, to its fleet.
The acceptance ceremony was held onboard the newbuilding at NB Jetty, CFB Dockyard Halifax.
MV Asterix will be operated and managed by Federal Fleet Services as part of a five-year contract and commanded by a civilian Master.
Canadian Armed Forces’ members, mainly from the RCN, will sail onboard as members of the Naval Replenishment Unit Asterix. They will perform specific military functions, including refueling and resupplying RCN vessels at sea, enabling them to operate for extended periods away from home port, without relying solely on foreign ships or port visits for frequently required support and resupply.
The vessel can carry 10,000 tons of marine fuel and over 100 tons of aviation fuel with large freshwater tanks.
In addition, MV Asterix can provide a large-scale medical response with a fully fitted hospital. It also contains an emergency dormitory for up to 350 evacuees. What is more, the vessel’s galleys are well suited for major humanitarian operations. They can provide 500 cooked meals per hour, according to the navy.