Learn how blockchain will change our world and your career

Published by Jan H. Jansen on 23 May 202223 May 2022

How blockchain will change our world and your career? Trends and perspectives

Quite recently (Tranport & Logistiek, 2022) the Dutch transport company Oldenburger started using the blockchain applications of Cargo Ledger (Products, 2022) in order to realise a complete paperless transport.

Another example of a similar blockchain application can be found at Möller-Maersk (Möller-Maersk, 2022).

In the 5^th edition of DHL Logistics trend radar (DHL, 2020) we can observe that Blockchain (and Artificial intelligence, Virtual reality, Digital twins) moved from relevant in 5 – 10 years (4^th edition of DHL Logistics trend radar) into relevant within 5 years, so transport and logistics are no longer moving boxes from destination A to destination B accompanied by a physical CMR*. Using blockchain technology makes it possible to track & trace the cargo (including the temperature), to apply an e-CMR and to connect to different ERP systems in the supply chain of the companies involved.

This implies of course that the staff in the companies also needs new competencies for logisticians, planners, WMS-staff, etc. In a recent study (Hofstra, Wang, Jansen, & Moeke, 2020) is concluded that: ‘Software and IT skills but also collaboration, problem solving and innovation skills will become more important the coming years. Also, attitude characteristics such as proactivity, flexibility and curiosity will become more relevant.’

This implies for higher education in logistics /supply chain management (SCM) that new subjects such as data science, real life projects and serious gaming (with no “silo thinking”) will become relevant and that collaborative skill in an international setting will become more relevant as well. Of course, students still should have a good basic understanding of core subjects like logistics, warehousing, purchase, distribution, ERP, business models, management accounting & finance, supply chain management etc.

* CMR = Convention relative au Contrat de Transport International de Marchandises par Route, a shipping document (document of transport) (SVA, 2022)

References                                                      

CargoLedger. (2022, May 9). CargoLedger. Retrieved from CargoLedger: https://cargoledger.nl/what-we-do/

DHL. (2020). The Logistics Trend Radar 5th edition. Troisdorf (D): DHL.

Hofstra, N., Wang, Y., Jansen, J. H., & Moeke, D. (2020). READY FOR THE FUTURE: AN EXPLORATORY STUDY ON COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS FOR BACHELOR GRADUATES IN LOGISTICS. Logistiek+, 41-65.

Möller-Maersk. (2022, March 20). A new paradigm in supply chain: TradeLens is unleashing the potential of collaborative digitisation in logistics. Retrieved from Möller-Maersk: https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2021/07/20/tradelens-is-unleashing-the-potential-of-collaborative-digitisation

Products. (2022, May 9). Retrieved from Cargo Ledger: https://cargoledger.nl/ecmr-digital-waybill/

SVA. (2022, May 9). Toelichting op het CMR verdrag. Retrieved from Vervoersadres: https://www.sva.nl/themas/cmr-en-ecmr/cmr-verdrag/toelichting-op-het-cmr-verdrag#

Tranport & Logistiek. (2022, May 9). Oldenburger Transport werkt papierloos met Cargo Ledger. Retrieved from Transport & Logistiek: https://transportlogistiek.nl/artikeladvertentie/oldenburger-transport-werkt-papierloos-met-cargoledger/

Series Blockchain in business