MV Asterix arrived in Esquimalt December 18th with frigates Vancouver and Ottawa.
Since departing in early August, the Halifax-class frigates and the naval replenishment unit visited seven countries including Japan, the Republic of Korea, Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, and the United States. All three Royal Canadian Navy ships, and one Royal Canadian Air Force CP-140 Aurora Long Range Patrol Aircraft, also participated in ANNUALEX alongside the Royal Australian Navy, an interoperability exercise co-hosted by the Japanese Maritime Self-Defense Force and the US Navy. HMCS Vancouver and the CP-140 also supported Operation NEON, Canada’s contribution to multinational efforts to monitor sanctions placed on North Korea by the United Nations Security Council.