A blockchain project, with total scale amounting to €2.2 million, has been launched that will explore blockchain applications in the logistics sector.

Last month, TU Delft announced its collaboration with ABN AMRO on the development of more complex blockchain applications. According to the latest announcement, TU Delft and ABN AMRO are now members of a 16-partner consortium, which includes Windesheim, the SCF Community, TNO, Centric, Exact, SmartPort, Royal FloraHolland, the Port of Rotterdam, FBBasic & Cirmar, BeScope Solutions, NBK, Innopay, and TransFollow.

“This is the first time anywhere in the world that a concrete blockchain project of this standard has been launched with various partners in the logistics chain”, the announcement reads.

The project is complementary to the public-private initiative to establish a national research institute for Blockchain (working title: Blockchain Core Competence Center), initiated by the Ministry of Economic Affairs.

In the next two years, the project will focus on developing the contours of a new information infrastructure based on block chain technology, uniting operational information, financial flows and contracts. In particular, the use of blockchain technology for logistics purposes will be concretely set up, tested and live tested.

“This project is not about discussing potential, we are actually going to put words into action”, Johan Pouwelse, Project Manager and Associate Professor at TU Delft, said.

According to the official release, the final result of the project will focus on delivering three concrete use cases: chain financing, supply financing and circular economics. TU Delft will concentrate on creating an open-source core business infrastructure that will make the blockchain suitable for mission critical usage. 

“If you ask me, using blockchain technology for the financial routes in logistics is just the beginning. I see this as a stepping stone towards a logistics sector with improved collaboration throughout the entire chain”, Martijn Siebrand, Supply Chain Finance Programme Manager, said.