March 17 - Whilst many freight and logistics groups are crying into their beers, the Melbourne partner of the Famous Pacific Shipping Group invited over 100 favoured guests to a slap up meal at one of the city's best Cantonese restaurants.

The assembly was treated to a traditional Chinese nine-course banquet and entertained with a lion dance before each guest was presented with a tiger figurine to commemorate both the year and the occasion.

Sam Aparo, FPS Melbourne director, who had vowed to impress his guests with "the best ever New Year function" commented on the aptness of this years symbolic animal as the perfect creature to oversee the start of a worldwide economic recovery. 

He said: "The Tiger is an apt icon for those who take risks and are displaying courage in the face of the present business environment. FPS Melbourne has seen its market share in Melbourne increase while others have suffered in the global crisis. In the last few years we have built our own multi-million dollar office and warehouse complex as well as establishing a transport division which now allows FPS to provides clients a true logistics solution."

The FPS Group is a network of freight forwarders and NVOCCs across the globe which has made no secret of its intention to build a stronger presence in the heavy lift and project forwarding sector, as well as expand its network into regional economies where it is less strong at present. The group's partners in India, Sri Lanka, the UAE and Thailand are already handling significant volumes of project cargoes.