December 23 - One of the most exciting developments this year for the Famous Pacific Shipping Group (FPS Group) of freight forwarders has been the growth of interest by members of the network in providing project forwarding services for clients.

Sri Lankan member, FPS Lanka has even gone the extra mile this year in launching a dedicated heavy lift and project forwarding arm: Projects FPS. Other network members, such as F.S. Mackenzie in the UK and Russia, have pledged their interest in developing project cargo activity.

Projects FPS has already made its mark by celebrating a first: the very first marine-related operation in the new Sri Lankan east coast port of Oluvil. The first shipment to arrive directly by sea at the Oluvil Port project site consisted of a 5,000 tonne barge and a work tug boat towed to Oluvil from Batam Island in Indonesia.

The two-week voyage, which commenced in late October 2009, saw the barge MTH Donna 1 moved from the shipyard, and work tug boat Anchor 3, built in 2005, moved for client MT Højgaard A/S, the Danish contractors for the Oluvil Port project.

Meanwhile, F.S. Mackenzie has followed its expansion into Nigeria by stating that it is ready to undertake dedicated project forwarding activities for clients over both the FPS and F.S. Mackenzie networks as it taps into the worldwide opportunities offered by this niche activity.

Working closely with the oil, gas and energy markets. F.S. Mackenzie has backed up its desire to move into the project market by the appointment of a project professional. This allows the company to make use of Emmanuel Chika's experience to spearhead its move into this niche market.

 

In the meantime, one of the FPS Group's agents in India has also been active in the project forwarding environment. Logixlift, the Projects Division of LCL Logistix (I) Pvt. Ltd recently shipped a Bell 320 helicopter from Mumbai to Baltimore onboard NSCSA's Saudi Diriyah.

 

Logixlift obtained approvals from Directorate-General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), arranged removal of the helicopter's rotor and blades using certified engineers and transported it to Mumbai port using special trailers moved under escort.

Topics