Port of Salalah recently joined TradeLens, the blockchain digital shipping platform by Maersk and IBM. As a result, the TradeLens ecosystem was strongly enhanced with the entrance of a key port, located at the crossroads of trade between Asia and Europe.
The TradeLens project has attracted over 100 diverse companies and organisations including top shipping carriers, like MSC and CMA CGM, key ports, like Port of Halifax, giant terminal operators, like APM Terminals and Modern Terminals, 3PLs, and freight forwarders. Currently, the blockchain platform handles 10 million events and more than 100,000 documents every week.
Port of Salalah, which recently set new yearly volume record, is working closely with other entities in the supply chain ecosystem to usher in digital transformation in its day to day operation and sees TradeLens as an important tool that offers a global transparent standard for collaboration. Joining the platform provides SPS and its customers the ability to securely provide end-to-end supply chain information, seamless data sharing and new avenues for collaboration which will result in improved trade flows via the port.
Mark Hardiman, CEO of Port of Salalah, stated:
“Joining TradeLens is an important step forward for Port of Salalah in supporting the modernizing of the trade ecosystem. Logistics has been identified as one of the key pillars for economic diversification for the Sultanate of Oman. Adopting and incorporating blockchain technology into all aspects of the supply chain will not only enhance the attractiveness of Salalah for these companies but also support the development of new business models that can further leverage the geographical location of Salalah.”
Thomas Sproat, Director of Network Development at Maersk GTD noted:
“The addition of the Port of Salalah in Oman continues to enhance a strong ecosystem for TradeLens in the Middle East. This ecosystem has the ability to leverage blockchain as one of the major components in spurring further innovation in the region. Integrating data with an important customer such as the port of Salalah is an important milestone for TradeLens and is a stepping stone for collaboration and will open up new ways of working across the supply chain ecosystem to increase efficiencies and visibility for those involved.”
