On the morning of September 26, Her Majesty’s Canadian Ship Calgary (HMCS Calgary) and container ship MV Asterix docked at Tien Sa Seaport in Da Nang, commencing a five-day port call to the central Vietnamese city.

The official visit from September 26 to 30 was meant to celebrate 45 years of bilateral relations between Canada and Vietnam, with daily events scheduled to support the mission of building and re-enforcing international relations.

The port call began with commanding officer of the HCMS Calgary ship Blair Saltel officially welcomed by Da Nang authorities upon arrival. Other activities include sports and cultural interaction with the Vietnam People's Navy, visiting Agent Orange children, and disabled children.

“Widely known for its hospitality and a valued Canadian partner in Southeast Asia, Vietnam represents an opportunity for Calgary to work with the local community and demonstrate our commitment to being a valued partner,” Commander Saltel said upon his visit to Vietnam.

The deployment is a part of the Operation Projection the ship is taking part in, which aims to increase the significance of the Canadian Navy in the Asia-Pacific region and support international naval exercises with partner nations.

Moreover, the mission also hopes to strengthen existing defense partnerships and establish new multinational relations in order to achieve greater interoperability and enhanced delivery of defense capabilities for future operations, the Embassy of Canada in Vietnam said on its verified Facebook page.

HMCS Calgary is a Halifax-Class frigate that weighs around 5,000 metric tons and has approximately 230 highly trained and professional sailors.

The ship has recently participated in the world’s largest international maritime warfare exercise which occurs biennially off the coast of Hawaii, the RIMPAC.

Throughout the Operation Projection, the HMCS Calgary will visit eight other ports including Darwin in Australia, Yokosuka and Yokohama in Japan, Jeju in South Korea, and Pearl Harbor in the United States.