Ports and Terminals in the Digital Era

Around the world, ports and terminals are taking steps to make digital technologies part of daily operations, hoping to improve efficiency, boost profitability and revolutionize user experiences. To do this, some are employing systems that rely on big data analytics, the Internet of Things and cutting-edge technologies like blockchain. Others, such as the Port of Los Angeles, are taking a simpler path into a hightech future.

The shipping industry is beginning to test the potential of blockchain as a business tool to replace expensive paper-based records for cargo delivery. In 2017, IBM partnered with Maersk in a live blockchain trial that sought to automate documentation processing, and Zim Lines completed the first commercial test of a blockchain-based digital bill of lading. In Bitcoin transactions, blockchain’s distributed ledger technology replaces trusted third parties like banks in financial transactions.