Combat Support Ship Asterix is a fully-NATO compliant multipurpose replenishment and support ship owned and operated by Federal Fleet Services Inc. for the Royal Canadian Navy. Project Resolve involves the conversion of a modern, European-built containership into a naval support ship. The concept of converting a containership into a naval fleet auxiliary ship is not a new one – it has been performed on several occasions over the past decades including by the Royal Navy and the United States Navy. Those ships have gone on to serve in global combat operations worldwide. CSS Asterix is fully compliant with all international regulations.

Asterix was converted at Federal Fleet Services’ sister-company, Chantier Davie Canada in Quebec. A pan-Canadian supplier network spanning six provinces was used to provide equipment and services for the program.

WATCH NOW: CSS Asterix – Federal Fleet Services – Combat Support Ship

The ship was delivered on time and on budget to the Royal Canadian Navy with full services provision for the following 10 years. The government of Canada possesses an option to buy the ship at the end of the 10 years.

Federal Fleet Services announced that the Government of Canada has exercised the remaining three option years under their unique Provision of Services Agreement (PSA) for Combat Support Ship (CSS) Asterix. 

At a glance: CSS Asterix

Since delivery in 2018, CSS Asterix has performed the following without a single day of unplanned downtime or major incident:

  • 245,931 nautical miles sailed (10 times around the globe), stopping in over 20 countries.
  • 480 operations delivering over 95 million litres of fuel.
  • 292 dry cargo and ammunition transfers to 21 allied navies.
  • 87 helicopter landings.
  • 11 military operations in the South China Sea, Red Sea, East China Sea, Arabian Sea, East Africa, Indian Ocean, Pacific Ocean, Korean Peninsula and Arctic, involving counter-terrorism, wartime evacuation, sanction enforcement, NATO task groupings, freedom of navigation and international patrols.
  • 13 international military exercises off Canada, Japan, Australia, UK and US.