UPS bets on blockchain as the future of the trillion-dollar shipping industry Posted on : Dec 16 - 2017

The world is run by trade. Freight and logistics in the U.S. alone account for nearly $1.5 trillion annually (2015 data). As the world’s economies scale up, that number is only expected to increase as we become more dependent on the international supply chain for our goods and services.

The industry, however, is not prepared for growth, as it currently sits on top of a crumbling infrastructure prone to systematic inefficiencies and rampant fraud. Countless intermediaries rake in fees and drive up the price of shipping. The problem is that the complexity and opaqueness of the process make it difficult to put checks and balances in place.

The FBI estimates that cargo theft causes an annual loss of approximately $30 billion per year (U.S.), with an average theft value of $190,000. In effect, cargo theft can cost consumers up to 20 percent more for their goods. And though most of the problem areas have been well-documented for decades, the distributed nature of ownership has instilled little accountability in any of the industry’s stakeholders.

However, disruption is coming to the industry in the form of blockchain technology, which promises to deliver a cheaper and more efficient system of managing logistics. Innovative startups, as well as major incumbent parties, are investing enormous amounts of time and resources in blockchain development.

Most recently, UPS announced they were going to join the Blockchain in Transport Alliance (BiTA), a forum for the development of blockchain technology standards and education for the freight industry. The alliance hopes to spur standards development for the shipping industry as a whole by implementing a secure blockchain system.

Why now? Why is UPS, along with hundreds of other major companies, betting on blockchain?

The answer: They want to be a part of the revolution. They want to play an instrumental role in developing the smart logistics network of the future. And they recognize that if they don’t get their foot in the door, someone else will. View More