Brussels Airport has launched its first blockchain application on BRUcloud – its open data sharing platform, according to Indian Transport & Logistics News.

Launched in 2016, BRUcloud aims to make data sharing in a cloud environment possible. Sara Van Gelder, cargo business development manager at Brussels Airport, explained that BRUcloud enables the different stakeholders of the air cargo supply chain to work in a more ‘integrated’ manner and act as a network.

The new blockchain application marks the next step in the “Landsite Management tool,” which Brussels Airport is developing together with its stakeholders at BRUcargo. It will closely cooperate with existing and future apps. The objective is to make import process paperless and enhance the efficiency and transparency.

“The new Freight Management App 1.0 will replace the handover of cargo from handlers to forwarder from a paper-based process by a digital rights / release process,” says Steven Polmans, head of cargo & logistics at Brussels Airport and chairman of the community organisation Air Cargo Belgium.

Companies like DHL Global Forwarding and WFS have been supporting the development of the BRUcloud at Brussels Airport.

“DHL Global Forwarding is pro-actively seeking supply chain visibility and transparency tools and improvement areas, in order to facilitate the supply chain of our customers. We firmly believe that an increasing transparency and reliability will decrease the overall supply chain costs in the future. We support initiatives as the community platform BRUcloud, to support the industry in creating innovative tools to improve the logistic chain” stated Luc Jacobs CEO DHL global forwarding Belgium and Luxemburg.