Royal Canadian Navy personnel set to begin training on new supply ship
Royal Canadian Navy sailors will begin training on a new supply ship, the first time such a vessel has been available on a full-time basis to the navy in two years.
The vessel, which became the centre of controversy in late 2015 when the Liberal government was accused of trying to scuttle the project, arrived in Halifax Wednesday. It will be ready to support Canadian Forces operations starting in February, according to the Royal Canadian Navy.
Training for navy personnel on the Motor Vessel (MV) Asterix will take place in early January. “Before the RCN formally accepts MV Asterix, it will undergo an integration of government furnished equipment and a number of sea trials in early January, to include crew and helicopter integration training, prior to being declared operational,” the navy noted in a statement. “Upon completion of these operational sea trials, the RCN will officially welcome MV Asterix during a future ceremony to be held at CFB Halifax.”
The ship will provide fuel, ammunition and other supplies to warships at sea. It also has medical facilities and room for two helicopters.
Asterix was an existing commercial vessel that was converted into a naval refuelling and resupply ship at Davie shipyards in Quebec.
The construction of Asterix as an interim supply ship was privately financed, with the cost borne by the companies involved — Davie and Federal Fleet Services, the companies pointed out. They will lease the ship to the Canadian government for a period of up to 10 years.
The previous Conservative government commissioned the interim supply vessel, which is a stopgap measure until two Joint Support Ships can be built for the navy at Seaspan shipyards in Vancouver.
But in the fall of 2015 the thennew Liberal government put the Asterix project on hold after receiving a letter from Davie’s rival, Irving Shipbuilding, that claimed its proposal for an interim supply vessel was not properly considered.
The Liberals eventually backed down after the Quebec government and shipyard workers in the province accused it of trying to scuttle the Davie deal. In addition, there was a penalty fee of $89 million if the federal government decided not to proceed with the Davie project.
Conversion of Asterix was approved by the Liberal government and the ship was delivered on time.
Canada’s navy once had three supply ships, but all have been retired from service. Over the last two years, the navy has leased for limited periods the services of Chilean and Spanish navy supply vessels.
A crew provided by Federal Fleet Services will operate the 26,000-tonne Asterix but navy personnel will be on board to handle maritime operations such as refuelling warships at sea.
Asterix left Quebec City on Dec. 23 with a crew of 36 Canadian merchant sailors along with Davie personnel and industry contractors. During the journey, they completed the testing of the ship’s propulsion and navigation systems as well as military systems, according to Davie officials.
Davie has proposed that it convert a second interim supply vessel but the Liberal government has rejected that plan. Transport minister Marc Garneau has said the federal government doesn’t need another such ship. “We cannot artificially create a need for something that doesn’t exist,” he recently told reporters.
Navy officers, however, have privately questioned Garneau’s claims. There is concern the Joint Support Ships will be delayed and Canada will only have one refuelling ship — Asterix — to provide support to the navy for years to come.
Construction has not yet begun on the Joint Support Ships and the federal government has stated that delivery dates for the vessels are not available.
Blaming a lack of work and the Liberal government’s decision to reject a second interim ship, Davie has already laid off 400 employees and has said more layoffs are still to come.