Recently there was the announcement of yet another container shipment trial using blockchain. This time the parties involved were APL, Kuehne+Nagel, AB InBev and Accenture. But they are far from the only ones doing it. A sampling of similar pilots in recent months include:
And in all likelihood more is ongoing with additional carriers, forwarders, cargo owners and terminals.
Even if all these pilots prove themselves successful in achieving the targets of drastically improving documentation efficiency in the industry, it leaves a very large unanswered question: What will the future standards be? Clearly the whole idea of creating documentation efficiencies goes out the window if every carrier ends up promoting their own solutions – this would force the shippers to use 10 different blockchain solutions if they ship their cargo with 10 different carriers. And realistically, that is not a scenario the shippers are likely to buy into.
Therefore, what we are witnessing now is a battle for standards – who will emerge with a solution that best serves the commercial needs of the shipping industry as evaluated by the shippers participating. This also means that the carriers involved in these pilots need to realize that if their solution becomes the preferred one, they cannot maintain a proprietary chokehold on their solution – instead they need to make it available for the industry in order to facilitate an emerging standard. And whilst any carrier successful in doing this would likely see it as an opportunity to profit from selling such a solution to rival carriers, such an approach might very well prove self-defeating as the rivals would be hesitant to buy into such an approach – and such hesitation would in itself undermine the creation of the common standard the industry will need.
Published: 26 March, 2018
Main aim of the modules is to improve awareness and reduce risks related to bunkering operations.
Scrubber retrofit as well as LNG-powered vessel technology to be displayed at Singapore exhibition.
The project, if successful, will oversee the construction of the world’s first sea-going hydrogen ferry.
Monitoring fuel consumption and CO2 emissions ‘first step’ towards GHG reduction from ships.
Lloyd’s Register, Precious Shipping, Bostomar, BIMCO, IBIA, and GoodFuels form group.
‘Energy transition in shipping will require new technologies, alternative fuels and infrastructure to support low- and zero-carbon shipping,’ IMO Head, Air Pollution and Energy Efficiency, tells Manifold Times.
Firm hopes to leverage partnership in Greece as a springboard to expand into neighbouring and overseas markets including Europe and China, says Robin Van Elderen, Regional Head Bunkers, Europe, Sing Fuels.
Singapore can help less developed countries in SouthEast Asia through ‘piloting and scaling fuels and technology as well as a leading hub for green finance’, said DNV Group President and CEO Remi Eriksen.
Octamar™ Ultra HF, Octamar™ Complete, and Octamar™ F35C were found to have improved the fuel economy while reducing exhaust gas and other emissions of marine engines in a series of trials, states report.
Disposal of evidence has resulted in Singapore not being able to provide full details to the United Nationals Panel of Experts which sought information regarding the case, says Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
‘We are proud to be amongst the first to show the successful steps taken by Singapore’s bunkering ecosystem to remain forward thinking and relevant,’ Choong Sheen Mao, Director of EMF, tells Manifold Times.
‘With the launch of a common data infrastructure, Kenoil aims to continue achieving an end to end visibility and transparency on the bunker data supply chain,’ states Kenoil Managing Director.
