At the beginning of August, the Government of Canada gave Davie Shipbuilding permission to advance with Project Resolve, an initiative to pursue at-sea support.

The latest news reports that Davie has bought the Asterix, a 1,702-teu boxship.

In the past, Asterix belonged to Capital Ship Management, an Evangelos Marinakis-controlled company. Now, Davie will own the vessel through Project Resolve Inc. and charter it out to the Royal Navy.

The transaction cost Davies somewhere around $20 million – but the plans don’t stop there. The word’s out that Davie will convert the ship into a complete naval vessel, capable of carrying two helicopters and refueling moving warships.

To complete the transformation, the Asterix’s container guides will be replaced with 10,000 tonnes worth of fuel tanks. As a result, the finished product should have the ship measure in at 40-teu.

Estimates say this conversion will cost upwards of $350 million.

It’s a costly endeavor, but Davie believes the Capital ship has a promising foundation. With cruising speeds of 20.5 knots and a versatile hull shape and design, the Asterix has huge potential.

Beyond its service with the Navy, the converted vessel will aid in humanitarian relief efforts.