The future is Blockchain Blockchain is revolutionizing the sale and movement of international cargo. In countries which have traditionally suffered from a lack of transparency, such as Mozambique, the positive impact it can yield on this industry can be even greater. The introduction of the Single Electronic Window, nearly a decade ago, shows how technology has the potential to level the playing field for smaller ports like Maputo. Blockchain promises to be no different.
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BE SPECIAL REPORT [ MOZAMBIQUE ]
espite vast improvements in Mozambique’s shipping and international trade processes over the past decade - among them, the introduction of the SEW - some niggling issues still persist. These include issues around miscommunication (despite being a nominally Portuguese-speaking country, most Mozambicans speak Buntu), information being passed and repackaged incorrectly, and subsequent delays caused by all of this incorrect information. Blockchain technology ensures that the information contained in shipping documents is free from human error. With Blockchain, all of the stored records are tamper-free and from a verifiable source (usually the producer or the distributor). Because the data are tamperfree, there’s less room for human error and/ or dishonesty. For countries like Mozambique, this greatly reduces the credibility gap which existed in the past. Blockchain also allows participants in the supply chain to view the progress of goods as they make their way through customs and the status of individual customs documents. This also has implications for the resonance of products. Now, when you order a product from Supplier A, thanks to Blockchain, you can be assured that the product you receive is that which was sent from Supplier A, and not somebody else in the supply chain. This wasn’t always possible. The end result of all of this is speed. Faster throughput decreases the pressure on logistics and reduces the cost for traders
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