IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/osf/socarx/apsz9_v1.html

Blockchain in Global Trade: Insights from the TradeLens Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • George, Babu

    (Alcorn State University)

Abstract

The digital transformation of global supply chains has aimed to enhance transparency, efficiency, and security, with blockchain emerging as a key enabler. This paper examines Maersk’s TradeLens initiative, a blockchain-powered shipping platform, within the broader context of digital supply chain innovation. Initially launched to revolutionize maritime logistics, TradeLens demonstrated blockchain’s potential for data sharing, risk mitigation, and operational streamlining. However, despite technological promise and industry participation, it was discontinued in early 2023 due to challenges in scaling adoption and achieving commercial viability. This study critically evaluates the structural, strategic, and economic barriers that hindered its success, providing key insights for future digital supply chain transformations. We highlight the necessity of industry-wide collaboration, governance frameworks, regulatory alignment, and sustainable business models to ensure the viability of digital trade networks.

Suggested Citation

  • George, Babu, 2025. "Blockchain in Global Trade: Insights from the TradeLens Experiment," SocArXiv apsz9_v1, Center for Open Science.
    • Handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:apsz9_v1
    DOI: 10.31219/osf.io/apsz9_v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://osf.io/download/67bd5afb3f268cc20855646d/
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.31219/osf.io/apsz9_v1?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Abderahman Rejeb & John G. Keogh & Horst Treiblmaier, 2019. "Leveraging the Internet of Things and Blockchain Technology in Supply Chain Management," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-22, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Yilong Yin & Yi Yang, 2025. "Sustainable Transition of the Global Semiconductor Industry: Challenges, Strategies, and Future Directions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(7), pages 1-25, April.
    2. Luisanna Cocco & Roberto Tonelli & Michele Marchesi, 2021. "Blockchain and Self Sovereign Identity to Support Quality in the Food Supply Chain," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(12), pages 1-19, November.
    3. Alireza Abdollahi & Karim Rejeb & Abderahman Rejeb & Mohamed M. Mostafa & Suhaiza Zailani, 2021. "Wireless Sensor Networks in Agriculture: Insights from Bibliometric Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(21), pages 1-22, October.
    4. Kedar Shiralkar & Arunkumar Bongale & Satish Kumar & Ketan Kotecha & Chander Prakash, 2021. "Assessment of the Benefits of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) Adoption on Downstream Supply Chain Performance of the Retail Industry," Logistics, MDPI, vol. 5(4), pages 1-13, November.
    5. Bo Yuan & Faguo Wu & Zhiming Zheng, 2023. "Post quantum blockchain architecture for internet of things over NTRU lattice," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(2), pages 1-21, February.
    6. Ren, Yi-Shuai & Ma, Chao-Qun & Chen, Xun-Qi & Lei, Yu-Tian & Wang, Yi-Ran, 2023. "Sustainable finance and blockchain: A systematic review and research agenda," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    7. Prathmesh Vasant Pawar & Ratna Achuta Paluri, 2026. "Big Data Analytics in Logistics and Supply Chain Management: A Review of Literature," Vision, , vol. 30(2), pages 139-158, April.
    8. Mubashir Hayat & Herwig Winkler, 2022. "An Analytic Hierarchy Process for Selection of Blockchain-Based Platform for Product Lifecycle Management," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(21), pages 1-20, October.
    9. Weili Yin & Wenxue Ran, 2021. "Theoretical Exploration of Supply Chain Viability Utilizing Blockchain Technology," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-25, July.
    10. Sharma, Mahak & Sehrawat, Rajat & Daim, Tugrul & Shaygan, Amir, 2021. "Technology assessment: Enabling Blockchain in hospitality and tourism sectors," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
    11. Taghikhah, Firouzeh Rosa & Prior, Daniel D & Hafezi, Reza & Baker, Derek & Matous, Petr, 2025. "Understanding digital capabilities and their impacts on Australian agri-food supply chain resilience: Engineering vs. socio-ecological thinking," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 218(C).
    12. Qader, Ghulam & Junaid, Muhammad & Abbas, Qamar & Mubarik, Muhammad Shujaat, 2022. "Industry 4.0 enables supply chain resilience and supply chain performance," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 185(C).
    13. Wang, Hongying & Wang, Jia & Lyu, Yufei & Li, Xuetao, 2025. "The impact of supply chain digitisation on sustainable development in global panel data. Does the energy efficiency matter?," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    14. Shafique Ur Rehman & Stefano Bresciani & Qingyu Zhang & Bernardo Bertoldi, 2024. "Tech and grow! Unraveling the interplay between industry 4.0 technologies and supply chain performance: marketing strategy alignment as a moderator," International Entrepreneurship and Management Journal, Springer, vol. 20(2), pages 1347-1376, June.
    15. Morgan Alamandi, 2025. "Sustainable Innovation Management: Balancing Economic Growth and Environmental Responsibility," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(10), pages 1-31, May.
    16. Dénes László Fekete & Attila Kiss, 2021. "A Survey of Ledger Technology-Based Databases," Future Internet, MDPI, vol. 13(8), pages 1-22, July.
    17. Weixia Yang & Congli Xie & Lindong Ma, 2023. "Dose blockchain-based agri-food supply chain guarantee the initial information authenticity? An evolutionary game perspective," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 18(6), pages 1-23, June.
    18. Ji Jiang & Jin Chen, 2021. "Framework of Blockchain-Supported E-Commerce Platform for Small and Medium Enterprises," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(15), pages 1-14, July.
    19. Ganesh Kumar R & Dinesh Kumar S & C. Anirvinna & Rapaka David Goodwin, 2025. "An empirical assessment of technological advancements on supply chain management performance: a mixed-methods sem approach using smartpls," Operations Management Research, Springer, vol. 18(4), pages 1142-1166, December.
    20. Abderahman Rejeb & Karim Rejeb & John G. Keogh & Suhaiza Zailani, 2022. "Barriers to Blockchain Adoption in the Circular Economy: A Fuzzy Delphi and Best-Worst Approach," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(6), pages 1-23, March.

    More about this item

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:osf:socarx:apsz9_v1. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: OSF (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://arabixiv.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.