Multinational metal and oil mining giant BHP has successfully tested blockchain in a conjoint experiment with Japanese shipping company NYK, shipping news magazine Dry Bulk reports Tuesday, Feb. 5. Sustainable biofuel company GoodFuels provided its product for the experiment, while BLOC — a developer of blockchain applications for the maritime industry — built the decentralized ecosystem to trace it. During the trial, the GoodFuels biofuel was delivered to the BHP-chartered and NYK-owned bulk carrier Frontier Sky, while carbon dioxide (CO2) savings were verified via a blockchain fuels assurance platform. As explained by Dry Bulk, the sustainable biofuel used in the …

Israel’s largest cargo shipping company Zim has opened its blockchain platform for electronic bills of lading (eB/Ls) to all clients in selected trades. Global shipping news outlet TradeWinds reported the news today, Jan. 14. Following a successful pilot of its blockchain-powered eB/Ls platform that lasted for over a year, the shipping firm has claimed that blockchain can not only replace the currently existing paper-based processes, but also improve the workflow conducted via email, fax, and other channels. According to TradeWinds’ report, two recent transactions on the platform were successfully conducted in less than two hours each — as opposed to …

A subsidiary of the major U.A.E. seaport operator Abu Dhabi Ports has launched an international blockchain pilot with the Port of Antwerp, global shipping news agency Hellenic Shipping News reports Oct. 15. Following a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed between Abu Dhabi Ports subsidiary Maqta Gateway and the Port of Antwerp, the companies will run a pilot of a blockchain project called Silsal. According to the project, both entities will handle international trade documentation by deploying distributed ledger technology (DLT). The Silsal project is expected to provide full cargo visibility, as well as to improve trade flow and supply chains …

U.S. retail giant Walmart has applied to the U.S. Patent & Trademark Office (USPTO) to patent a blockchain system for deliveries, according to an official patent document released August 30. The new patent aims to provide a technology for running “in-field authenticating of autonomous electronic devices” to enable secure deliveries. The patent specifies that “[i]n exemplary embodiments, two autonomous electronic devices, such as delivery drones or household autonomous robots, can authenticate each other using embodiments of security procedures described herein.” The patent is entitled “Systems, Devices, and Methods for In-Field Authenticating of Autonomous Robots” and was filed in January 2018 …

One of the largest law enforcement agencies in the U.S., Customs and Border Protection (CBP), will launch a live test of a blockchain-based shipment tracking system, tech news and media agency GSN reports August 24. In the upcoming test, the CBP will reportedly combine two separate systems: the CPB’s legacy application and a blockchain-powered platform developed by the agency’s parent body — and the country’s primary border control organization — the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). The test results will determine how the distributed ledger technology (DLT) is able to enhance the verification process of certificates of origin from the …

Triwer, a blockchain-based logistics platform, is working on an app for the parcel shipment which would automatically plan the best delivery route. According to the company’s website, the app is currently under beta testing and will be available for download in Q2 2018. Smart contracts and shared space capacity "Triwer has built in a number of unique selling points which we believe will make Triwer an industry online standard in much the same way as Uber in the private taxi sector or AirBnB in short term property rentals", Triwer's white paper says. The core idea of the Triwer App is …