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In the Canadian Navy, they've codenamed the mission "Op Caribbe."

On June 25, HMCS Fredericton, a frigate with 203 sailors, sailed out of its home port of Halifax on a first-of-a-kind maritime mission to the Caribbean.

On the same day, journalists in Ottawa were advised that Prime Minister Stephen Harper was planning a six-day visit to Latin America and the Caribbean. Thursday, Mr. Harper and the ship met up in Bridgetown harbour for a photo opportunity.

With a glorious backdrop of blue skies, crisp-white uniforms, and Canadian and Barbadian flags, Mr. Harper boarded the frigate to promote two seamen, pay tribute to a couple of Second World War veterans and laud Canada's military.

"Canada remains engaged in international security today, from our leadership role in Afghanistan, to our contribution to 19 peace operations currently in place around the world, to our efforts to interdict the shipment of weapons and drugs on the high seas," Mr. Harper said.

Sandra Buckler, Mr. Harper's communications director, said HMCS Fredericton was operating in the Caribbean in support of Joint Interagency Task Force South, a U.S. agency responsible for countering drug trafficking, terrorism, migrant smuggling and piracy.

She said that Bridgetown was one of several routine port calls for refuelling and provisioning but the other stops were not available for "operational security considerations."

A government official, who declined to be identified, said "it's serendipitous" that the Prime Minister was in Bridgetown just after the active part of the mission ended.

The ship arrived in Bridgetown on Wednesday and leaves Friday. Its 15-day working mission at sea is over and its only other assignment is to play host at a reception for the Canadian high commission in Trinidad before sailing back to Halifax, where it is due to arrive July 28.

Lieutenant Matthew Low, who briefed reporters on the mission Thursday, said that aside from the stop in Trinidad, the Fredericton's only other port of call was Key West, Fla., which was for "rest and recreation."

Op Caribbe is the first operation of its kind and it's uncertain it will be repeated, according to Lieutenant Matthew Low. "We're just monitoring," Lt. Low said. "We're building maritime domain awareness."

But unlike patrol activities in the Persian Gulf and elsewhere in which the navy has been active, the Fredericton is not actively trying to stop drug smugglers if they come across any in the Caribbean "We don't interdict," Lt. Low said. "We don't board. ... We're building a picture of what's going on here."