CLS to head a new blockchain project

Together with the Danish Industry Foundation (Industriens Fond), CLS has recently launched a major study to investigate the potential of blockchain for small and medium-sized businesses in the maritime sector. CLS will be heading the project – known as ‘Maritime Block Power’ – and working on it with Danish Ports, Aalborg University and two North Jutland business networks.

– There’s huge potential in digitalisation and blockchain technology for the business sector. But we know that, compared to large enterprises, it can be difficult for small and medium-sized businesses to see and exploit this potential. This also applies to maritime enterprises and other businesses in and around the maritime environment, says Lars Jøker, who has been director of CLS since the turn of the year.

Although large companies are usually ahead of the smaller ones when it comes to use of technology, the idea behind the project is that a company’s size should not impact its potential in the digital world.

– In general, our work concentrates on implementation of new technology in the Danish business sector. And one of the aims of the new project is to identify the opportunities and challenges facing small businesses in their daily work. We then prepare best practices in the hope of providing some good examples of how to put blockchain technology into practice,’ says Thomas Hofman-Bang, CEO at the Danish Industry Foundation (Industriens Fond). He explains that the foundation works with numerous initiatives to ensure that Danes gain more experience of using blockchain technology.

Research and the business sector partner up
In addition to practical experience, the project brings new knowledge to the business sector. The knowledge is provided by a research team from Aalborg University.

– We’ve been studying the potential of blockchain technology for the transport and logistics sectors for some time, so we have expertise in this area. This equips us well to contribute to the project, says Associate Professor Kristian Hegner Reinau from Aalborg University.

Great potential for the entire port sector
The study focuses on companies at the ports of Hirsthals, Hanstholm, Grenaa and Aalborg. The trade organisation for Danish commercial ports, Danish Ports, is convinced that the results of the Maritime Block Power project will be able to be put to broader use.

– The transformation of Danish commercial ports is in full swing, and many of the maritime enterprises and companies in the areas surrounding the ports are in the midst of a digital transition. This study is therefore extremely important for the Danish commercial ports, and we expect that the results will not merely be useful for the participating ports. They’ll also be of use to Danish commercial ports and their business partners in general, says Tine Kirk Pedersen, director at Danish Ports.

For further details, please contact:

• Lars Jøker, Director, CLS (Centre for Logistics and Collaboration), +45 6051 0171 or lj@logsam.dk
• Ole Østrup, Head of Communications, Industriens Fond, +45 2380 0660 or oos@industriensfond.dk