June 20 - Delegates at last week's fourth annual conference of the Project Professionals Group in Rio de Janeiro endorsed Bangkok as the 2012 annual conference venue for the specialist project forwarding network.

Members were among the first in the industry to learn about Hansa Heavy Lift's operations and received news of a new Indian coastal service during presentations.

More than 70 members attended the meeting despite flight disruptions caused by the eruption of the Puyehue volcano in Chile.

The Hansa Heavy Lift presentation outlined fleet capabilities following the launch of the start-up shipping line which has arisen from the ashes of Beluga Shipping.

Sai Freight announced the launch of butterfly sailings along the Indian coast that will utlise vessels capable of delivering project cargoes along rivers with low draft, or in congested Indian ports, to minimise delays.

Other guest speakers included Rickmers-Linie, Sea-Concert, Port Corpus Christi, Transpes, Tecon Salvador, and Brazilian hosts, O. Lisboa Despachos.

Peter Edwards, publisher of Heavy Lift & Project Forwarding International highlighted some of the ways the international publication can help support members' activities.

A Certificate of Achievement in Project Cargo Management professional development course was also held prior to the conference.