The German government’s blockchain strategy was not adopted until late in 2019. “I am eager to see how the project develops over the next few years.”
Barcelona, December 4, 2020.- Blockchain technology accumulates, day by day, new success stories, projects, public and private initiatives in different countries. Today we highlight a German project, documented by the Hamburg News.
Distributed ledger or blockchain technology is on a “productivity plateau” now that the hype has been deflated, according to the “Hype Cycle for Blockchain Technologies 2020” study by Gartner research and consulting. At present, the main challenge lies in identifying, implementing and testing useful distributed ledger technology (DLT) applications. It holds enormous potential for the logistics industry, which is not yet fully digitized as DLT is considered transparent, forgery-proof and decentralized.
The joint North German project Hanseatische Blockchain-Innovationen für Logistik und Supply-Chain-Manangement (HANSEBLOC) managed by the Logistics Initiative Hamburg, is further along. The near three-year project, which has received EUR 1.9 million in funds from the German Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF) and involves ten SMEs, is coming to an end this month. Around 90 meetings have been held and a prototype produced. Around 70 participants attended HANSEBLOC’s closing virtual conference during which initial results and a foretaste of coming events were presented. Dr. Oliver Pieper, who is responsible for innovation at BMBF, hailed the project as a “prime example” of how clusters such as the Logistics Initiative Hamburg make an important contribution to Germany as a centre of innovation. “Launched in April 2018, HANSEBLOC was a pioneer even then,” Pieper added.
The North German consortium consisting of four IT service providers, four logistics experts, the Hamburg University of Applied Sciences (HAW Hamburg) and Kühne Logistics University gGmbH (KLU) had set itself the goal of developing the HANSEBLOC system in a logistics setting and with infrastructure and a design counter to that of the platform economy, i.e. without intermediaries who dominate the market.
Dr. Jan Rode, Project Manager of Start-ups & Networks at the Logistics Initiative Hamburg, had presented the project. Forgery-proof documentation of transport data and risk transfer on the blockchain should raise security and generate real-time data and automating processes. Controlling the release of data from the start is crucial. Stringent data protection requirements on sensitive data and varying IT know-how in the logistics companies are among the challenges.
In early October, the prototype underwent tests in real conditions the results of which were evaluated by the Kühne Logistics University. Thomas Twenhöven, a PhD candidate at KLU, surmised: “The blockchain can be used practically and the test clearly revealed its advantages.” Although the platform and app had been designed in terms of road haulage, it can also be used for air and sea freight.
That is because “the blockchain in HANSEBLOC manages digitally-twinned transport processes, i.e. it maps all relevant data in real time,” said Kevin Westphal, a representative of Consider IT GmbH. No details of logistics processes can be selected making for one of the main advantages of a blockchain solution. Data such as place, time, goods and responsible persons are available only as checksums.
The blockchain solution can already map quite complex transport processes. Hopes are now high that work on bringing HANSEBLOC to market maturity can continue when the project officially ends in December. Then, HANSEBLOC could become a marketplace with services and payment services. But for the moment, the focus remains on the sensor chain.
A sensor network connected to the blockchain will undergo tests in early 2021. Sensors developed at HAW Hamburg, which are used e.g. in euro-pallets, allow users to track transports and monitor cold chains. An alarm is triggered in case of deviations, for instance, if a previously defined temperature in a so-called smart contract deviates by 15 degrees. Third-party providers are to be linked to HANSEBLOC in future (microservices), which could include customs and authorities, insurance companies or freight exchanges.
The HANSEBLOC project is being driven by ten north German partners from Hamburg and Bremen, who have joined forces in the Logistics Initiative Hamburg network. Its members include four logistics service providers (Kroop & Co. Transport + Logistik GmbH, Shot Logistics GmbH, Sovereign Speed GmbH & Transimeksa Intermodal GmbH), four IT service providers and blockchain experts (Chainstep GmbH, Consider it GmbH, Hec GmbH & Itemis AG) as well as two universities (HAW Hamburg and Kühne Logistics University).
The Logistics Initiative Hamburg has co-ordinated the project from April 2018 to December 2020 with a volume of some EUR 3.1 million so far. The BMBF is putting around EUR 1.8 million towards research into the potential of blockchain innovations for mid-sized logistics companies. The BMBF’s “KMU-NetC” programme funds research and development projects by SMEs in high-performance clusters to better equip such companies for the future.
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, June 14, 2022.- AndSoft, a European company that manufactures software for transport and logistics (e-TMS), presented at SIL in Barcelona (31 May to 2 June), stand E 532, new solutions dedicated to special transport: ADR and oversized. Plus a new evolution of TrackAPP.
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, June 7, 2022.- Enterprise Talk magazine has published an analysis on supply chain improvements, from start to finish, thanks to artificial intelligence solutions. These are their conclusions:
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, May 24, 2022.- Author: Pierfrancesco Manenti is Research Vice President for the Gartner Supply Chain Strategy team. Mr. Manenti provides insights and advisory support to CSCOs and Head of Strategy of global manufacturing and retail corporations into the future trends and key challenges affecting end-to-end supply chain strategy. He focuses on strategic transformation, digitalization, agility and… Continue reading Gartner: “Autonomy is the future of Supply Chain”→
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, May 3, 2022.- According to Business Insider, the benefits of implementing artificial intelligence in the logistics industry are already evident today in 2022. In summary:
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, April 26, 2022.- The world economy, any sector that produces machinery, household appliances, vehicles, computers, mobile phones…need chips for the operation of the electrical system. Europe and the United States will build new chip factories, but China (Taiwan) will remain the world leaders.
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, April 19, 2022.- According to Protocol magazine, the ecommerce giant has been looking to hire a number of people for an unannounced AR/VR product in recent months. Among the roles Amazon is looking to fill are a wide variety of senior positions for computer vision scientists, designers, program managers, product managers, researchers and technologists,… Continue reading Amazon is developing a ‘new-to-world’ AR product→
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, April 5, 2022.- Amazon has agreed with hundreds of Texas consumers the delivery of merchandise weighing just 2 kilograms, its delivery through drones. For its part, Fedex:
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Barcelona, March 22, 2022.- The prestigious technology consultancy Gartner has published an analysis of Blockchain technology and its real solutions today. Gartner explains blockchain with these arguments:
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Barcelona, March 22, 2022.- The company ILS has published an analysis on the applications of Artificial Intelligence (AI) in Logistics. AI is going to be as common as TMS is today.
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This article was originally published by Ben Dickson on TechTalks, (March 7, 2022) a publication that examines trends in technology, how they affect the way we live and do business, and the problems they solve. But we also discuss the evil side of technology, the darker implications of new tech, and what we need to look… Continue reading The understanding and coexistence of artificial intelligence with human intelligence→
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Barcelona March 2, 2022.- One of the most influential newspapers in the world, the New York Times, has published a diagnosis on the role of the technological giants in the new scenario that opens the Russian War against Ukraine. For your interest, we publish below:
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Barcelona, February 22, 2022.- The Foley & Lardner Law Firm has published a detailed and exhaustive analysis of the benefits of blockchain technology for the logistics industry, which is so important for the success of e-commerce around the world. Therefore, its reading is highly recommended for managers of transport and logistics companies. Here is a… Continue reading Foley & Lardner: “Blockchain for Digital Logistics and Smart Warehouses”→
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, February 15, 2022.- Supply Chain Dive magazine has highlighted 5 applications, based on Artificial Intelligence, for supply chain companies. This technology will be one of the keys to success for logistics companies that need to be more efficient and competitive.
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, February 8, 2022.- TechiExpert magazine has published an analysis on the application of Blockchain technology in transport and logistics companies. We recommend your reading:
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, February 7, 2022.- The Digital Journal magazine has produced a report on Artificial Intelligence in the logistics industry. Here are the main conclusions:
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, January 18, 2022: The prestigious economic newspaper Financial Times has published an analysis on the supply chain. Its recent innovations and the changes that have had to be implemented in large multinationals, small and medium-sized companies. Next, we publish a summary for its great interest for the logistics professional and the technological manager:
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, January 11, 2022.- The China Daily Newspaper has published the following information with real cases of robotic applications and artificial intelligence for the logistics industry. A technological revolution whose implementation will accelerate in the coming months due to tensions in global supply chains.
by AndSoft Software Gestión Transporte TMS y Portales Blockchain, eCMR, TrackAPP Alone
Barcelona, January 4, 2022.- The following analysis on Deep Learning and the use of neural networks has been published by the IEEE Spectrum magazine. Technologies already present in smartphones and that will evolve faster, every day.
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Barcelona, December 7, 2021.- McKinsey & Company has developed a report on the new leadership of CEOs in the Post-Covid19 era. Interesting to read the conclusions especially in relation to new uses of technology and its implementation in value chains.