Finland and IBM jointly launch blockchain project: creating smart logistics and transportation solutions

Finland has launched a blockchain project to use blockchain for intelligent container transportation. Under this technology, container transportation instructions will be stored on a distributed ledger, and transportation design does not require human participation.

The project that Finland plans to launch is enough to reform the logistics and transportation industry. Smart containers may sound like science fiction, but with blockchain technology, all this can come true. After all, the application of blockchain technology should not be limited to the Bitcoin protocol.

However, often the most critical challenge is to turn a concept into a working prototype. In this project, the container information will be stored in a database, and the blockchain storage solution will autonomously determine how the container is transported from point A to point B, that is, the transportation route and schedule.

Even more interesting is that these smart containers can “learn lessons” from past transportation experiences and continuously update their route and schedule design skills, which will push machine learning ^[1] to a whole new level.

The concept of this project is actually very similar to driverless technology. However, people still need to participate in the logistics process, but they hand over some mundane tasks (such as route design) to blockchain technology.

In this project, consignees can track the logistics information of goods from the time they leave the port until they arrive at the destination port. Moreover, they can modify the schedule of cargo transportation at any time.

Contrary to what most people think, this project will not have much impact on employment. It will only change the work content of some people, but will not reduce the demand for jobs.

This blockchain logistics project will be officially launched in the fall of 2017 and put into use in 2019. A large number of companies and universities will participate in the entire testing process. IBM is the technical partner of this project. This is the world's first application example of blockchain technology in the field of large-scale logistics and transportation.