Shanghai Science Center to Implement Blockchain to Track Dangerous Chemicals

The Global Shipping Business Network (GSBN) Consortium and the Shanghai Chemical Industry Testing Research Institute (SICIT) will implement a blockchain for tracking hazardous chemicals.

Shipping giants Cosco and Orient will also take part in the project. Sea Container Line (OOCL). The decision to use the blockchain was made after several accidents while transporting dangerous goods. This latest technology will improve the safety of transporting chemicals, including lithium batteries, according to SICIT.

SICIT is authorized to issue certificates for the safe transport of chemicals. Usually, after receiving the certificate, shippers give it to carriers in the form of a printed or scanned copy. However, it is difficult for transport companies involved in the supply chain to identify incorrect labels or verify the authenticity of these documents.

According to SICIT, the blockchain-based GSBN platform streamlines this process by ensuring that information in certificates is accurate and valid. To do this, the companies, together with the manufacturer of household appliances Midea, developed a proof of concept (Proof-of-Concept). Thanks to the GSBN, Cosco and OOCL will be able to verify the certificates that Midea receives.

— The shipping industry is undergoing a digital transformation. Therefore, it is important to be able to share information transparently, with full control over this process. Blockchain combined with the Internet of Things (IoT) will significantly reduce the risk of transporting dangerous goods, says GSBN spokesman Bertrand Chen).

Recall that the companies that formed the GSBN consortium launched a platform based on a controlled blockchain back in 2021 so that even competing market players could cooperate through it.