The Brussels airport has launched an application based on blockchain technology, aimed at tracking the movement of cargo from land handlers to freight forwarders. The application will be an integral part of BRUcloud, an open data management platform of the main airport in Belgium that is hosted in the cloud.
BRUcloud, which is based on Nallian's data technology, a supply chain collaboration platform that targets the B2B market, was launched two years ago for the Brussels airport cargo community.
The application, based on the block chain technology, was the next logical step with respect to the Landside management tool that the air terminal is developing together with its BRUcargo community groups.
The objective of the Brussels Airport is to ensure that the logistic flow is fully digitized, using applications belonging to the BRUcloud platform suite. As part of the benefits derived from this implementation, the 23rd busiest airport in Europe aims to minimize the use of paper in the import process, improve transparency and increase the efficiency of the entire system.
Forward integration
The new tool, known as Freight Management App 1.0, will work with current applications that include Slot Booking App, as well as others that are in the process of being developed.
BRUcloud will facilitate the exchange of data in the cloud among the members of the BRUcargo community, which will allow a greater cohesion and integration of the work carried out by the different operative parts along the supply chain.
In the short term, other applications will also be added to the existing infrastructure. The parties involved may install their own nodes, with which they may register transactions later. All the components to which the corresponding access rights are granted may consult said transactions, which guarantees complete transparency.
The data will be stored centrally once and, when a company connects to the system, it will be able to exchange information with other interested parties through the use of a suite of applications, without it being necessary to maintain direct and individual connections with systems of other partners.
DHL Global Forwarding, one of the most well-known maritime and air shipping service providers in the world, and WFS, a land manager, are two of the companies that have been lending their support to the development of BRUcloud in this terminal.
In the opinion of the executive director of DHL Global Forward in Belgium and Luxembourg, Luc Jacobs, the improvement of reliability and transparency in the supply chain will result in a reduction in operating expenses.
According to Jacobs "DHL Global Forwarding is proactively seeking tools for transparency and visibility of the supply chain and areas for improvement, to facilitate the operations of our customers. We firmly believe that greater transparency and reliability will lower the overall costs of the supply chain in the future. "
This year, the BRUcloud system won the Information Technology prize awarded during the World Air Cargo Awards held in Shanghai, China.