Page 31 - Linkline Yearbook 2018

Skuchain applies the cryptographic principles developed in the Bitcoin network to security and visibility for the global supply chain. As goods travel from manufacturers to distributors to consumers, the crucial electronic information of what the item is and where it came from becomes disconnected from the Stock Keeping Unit (SKU) itself. A blockchain offers a universal, secure ledger by which SKUs can attest to digitally to their origins and attributes (Skuchain, 2017).
record the entire history of products and execute commercial transactions accordingly. Using a combination of sensors, biosensors and food tracers, coupled with a unique ID, smart tagging and anti-tampering mechanisms, Ambrosus monitors the product in real-time down to the individual unit (Ambrosus, 2017).
Conclusion
For me, it is difficult to conceive a future supply chain without some aspect of blockchain. Getting this right means the right technology build in a robust manner to enable all of the benefits blockchain can offer, such as immutability, transparency and security. Scaling blockchain applications so that all partners can access the benefits and helping partners to understand the changes are key considerations for the sustainability of any blockchain implementation.
In the next issue of the Linkline we will discuss the regulations and legal framework that will assist and enable Blockchain advancement.
The author acknowledges and thanks Ignacio López del Moral, Everis.
Grainne Lynch, Vice President of The Chartered Institute of Logistics and Transport in Ireland, Pharmaceutical Track & Trace Advisor with ESP, Supply Chain Logistics Innovation Specialist
A full bibliography on this article can be found at www.linklinejournal.com/blockchain
Walmart is working with IBM and Tsinghua University in Beijing on a blockchain pilot for tracking and tracing pork in China since 2016 (IBM, 2016) by using IBM blockchain based on the open source Linux Foundation Hyperledger Project fabric. Product information (e.g. farm origination details, batch numbers, factory and processing data, expiration dates and shipping detail) is digitally connected to food items and entered into the blockchain at every step of the process. Each piece of information serves to provide critical data points that could help reveal food safety issues (Castillo, 2017).
The Ambrosus project aims to radically improve the global supply chains by creating a trusted ecosystem to reliably
The CharTered InsTITuTe of LogIsTICs & TransporT 31
BLOCKCHAIN