Computer Transport and Logistics

Logistics Management & Planning

3 Benefits of Blockchain in Supply Chain and Logistics

Blockchain was listed in an earlier blog of ours this year, where we explored the key trends to be aware of in supply chain and logistics for 2023. Since then, we have done further deep dives into this technology to understand how it works and how it has benefited the supply chain and logistics industry thus far.

 

What is Blockchain?

Think of Blockchain like pieces of Lego stuck together to form a chain. Within those Lego pieces is information only accessible by approved parties within a peer-to-peer network – a group of computers linked to this chain with equal permissions and responsibilities for processing data.

For a more formal description, IBM describes Blockchain as “a shared, immutable ledger that facilitates the process of recording transactions and tracking assets in a business network. An asset can be tangible (a house, car, cash, land) or intangible (intellectual property, patents, copyrights, branding). Virtually anything of value can be tracked and traded on a blockchain network, reducing risk and cutting costs for all involved.”

 

What are the benefits of Blockchain in Supply Chain and Logistics?

 

(1)Transparency and Traceability of Goods in Transit

Going back to that idea of the Lego pieces, imagine that the pieces in front of you are one of a kind and available to view only by an approved group of people.

Information is critical to the successful running of any business, and the faster it is received, the more precise it is, which is why Blockchain has become so appealing to companies.

Blockchain streamlines the movement of information. In our industry, any activity undertaken within the supply chain is visible in real time and verifiable by all authorised parties. As supply chains become ever more complex, this feature of Blockchain is hugely advantageous as it mitigates the risk of fraudulent activity and enables accountability across the whole ecosystem.

Furthermore, suppose an error does occur in the supply chain. In that case, Blockchain comes to the rescue again as members can trace the activities back to the origin of the mistake, enabling the necessary actions to resolve quickly and continue moving forward.

As one of the approved personnel to the Blockchain is typically the customer, having this transparency and traceability in their supply chain is invaluable as it offers them peace of mind and builds trust between them and their logistics partner.

 

(2) Enhanced Security of Supply Chain

At a time when cybercrime is on the rise and supply chains are becoming more complex, Blockchain adds further comfort as it creates immutable records. “Once a transaction is recorded on the Blockchain, it cannot be altered or deleted. This creates a permanent and transparent record of all transactions. Traditional systems can alter or delete records, making it challenging to trace the origin of a transaction or identify any fraudulent activity. Records in Blockchain are transparent and tamper-proof, making it easier to identify and prevent fraud and corruption.” Wondermentapps.com

Another security feature of Blockchain is that it’s decentralised, making it highly resilient to potential cyberattacks and unauthorised access as the privacy of the end-users is preserved, leaving no trace of a digital footprint.

A Professor at Trinity College, Dr Hitesh Tewari, shared an example of how decentralisation works in the e-health space; “I have developed a healthcare management ecosystem that allows a patient’s medical records to be stored securely and anonymously on Blockchain. This enables data to be mined by third parties to determine healthcare trends, etc., without them inferring personal details of individual patients.”

 

(3)       Efficiency and Automation of Information in Supply Chain

Investopedia describes Smart Contracts as “a self-executing program that automates the actions required in an agreement or contract. Once completed, the transactions are trackable and irreversible.”

Smart Contracts enhance the efficiency of an organisation by automatically triggering a set of actions once the predetermined conditions are met, e.g. issuing an invoice at the end of the delivery cycle. This feature appeals to business owners as it not only eradicates the need for a middleman but also expedites processes and ensures processes are compliant.

Inventory management can be an anchor for businesses with complex supply chains. Going back to our first point on traceability, all parties approved in the Blockchain, such as manufacturers, suppliers, and distributors, can see the product flow and collaborate as needed to ensure the fulfilment of orders. Those in receipt of the invoice know and trust that it is legitimate and are therefore comfortable paying via the secure payment portal, which benefits the business from a cash flow management perspective.

 

We hope you enjoyed learning more about Blockchain as much as we did.

 

Thank you for reading,

Keith

The Digitalisation of Logistics and Supply Chain Operations in 2020

The theme at the Transport Management Virtual Summit in January was “The Digitalisation of Logistics and Supply Chain Operations in 2020”.

Today I want to shed some light on some of the key trends highlighted during this event and demonstrate how ATC is continuing to be at the forefront of this technological revolution with our award winning systems.

 

Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML)

These terms are not new to us. Some may be wary of AI and ML when, in fact, they are necessary for the new age of logistics and supply chain management. We have always had a significant amount of data related to each job we do. However, with AI and ML combined, considerable amounts of data can be analysed to identify trends and help our transport planners and drivers make decisions in real-time.

Sergio Alex Caballero, Ph.D., research scientist at MIT’s Center for Transportation & Logistics, says “AI is helping companies to predict what is going to happen in their supply chain”.

This intelligence is allowing companies like ours to be proactive in our approach as opposed to reactive. By incorporating a wide variety of data sources like shipping report, weather forecasts, traffic conditions and many others, we have the data to predict problems and mitigate them, while also ensuring our customers have full visibility in their supply chain.

 

Internet of Things (IoT)

Again this is a term that is familiar to many of us. IoT in mobile technology is enabling us to have a birds-eye view into every link of the supply chain from warehouse to final mile.

Mobile devices and their software not only gives us visibility of our complete supply chain but also provides our clients with peace of mind that their shipment is safe and on time – every time.

David Krebs, VDC Research’s Executive Vice President, commented: “mobility is not new, it’s been around for years in different variations and helps companies to improve productivity, collaboration, supply chain visibility and real-time decision making”.

At ATC, we believe that a robust supply chain that has complete visibility right the way through is a must for a positive customer experience. By combining white glove and final mile, we are better positioned to meet these demands. From a technological perspective, we continue to invest in the latest GPS tracking software and communication systems, for all of our trucks, to allow our customers keep track of their shipment and stay in touch with their driver directly.

In addition, our drivers use electronic logs which reduce paper consumption and enables them to complete their required documentation speedily, under the full supervision of the management team – no matter where they are in Europe.

 

Sustainability

We have written about our passion for safeguarding the environment before, and we continue to stay true to this commitment.

Final Mile delivery consumes a tremendous amount of time and energy which is why much of the discussion in leading articles on this area centres around the latest technologies that are available in vehicles to reduce emissions to make for “Green Logistics”.

At ATC, we have invested in the latest technologies to ensure that our trucks are equipped with the most up to date Euro Low Emission Engines. Just recently, we announced the arrival of our new Mercedes Actros Trucks.

 

Autonomous Robotics

Many assume that the introduction of robots will mean that their jobs will no longer be available. This assumption is understandable, but not the case. Their jobs will evolve into digital roles as automation and robotics will still rely on human intervention.

A 2019 Global Customer Report states that there has been an “18% year over year increase in the testing of warehouse robotics”. These robots are being trained to carry out physical tasks of; unloading trucks, building pallets, moving boxes which can again further help to improve efficiency and speed.

We are excited to see what 2020 brings in the area of digital transformation in our industry. Thanks for reading and stay in touch for more updates from us soon.

Keith Young

Managing Director

Data Centre Location and The Supply Chain

Recently we shared an article over on our LinkedIn page entitled “Data Centres worth €7bn says report as IDA fights back”, Independent.ie. This article was talking about how there is a necessity in Ireland to build more data centres in regional areas of the country due to Dublin now being at almost full capacity. However locals are arguing that with a new data centre comes a huge level of energy consumption which they believe will outweigh the benefits associated with the number of jobs that are proposed.

The IDA argue that data centres are generating a substantial amount of revenue for the country and, for that reason, the public should be open to this proposition as, ultimately, there are substantial net economic benefits to be gained for Ireland. Furthermore, ICT makes up such a large proportion of our employment in this country and the IT companies creating these opportunities need to be supported with critical infrastructure.

As I mentioned above, some of the big factors for data centre location are power costs, power availability, accessibility and, of course, data! However, another important factor for Data Centres to consider is the logistics side of their operations.

It may appear to be a small cost in comparison to everything else, however, it can turn into a big problem and an unnecessary large cost if it is not managed correctly.

Data Centres and the Supply Chain

A robust supply chain that has complete visibility right the way through and trusted partners with a clean record is a must for any data centre to ensure that savings made on choosing the right location do not come at the cost of a disrupted logistical experience.

Since the inception of ATC, customer service has been at the heart of everything we do and with that we have developed a European network like-minded partners who share the same values. Working with our partners enables us to provide a ‘White Glove’ level of service to our clients whether they are global logistics providers seeking a final mile service or cloud service providers. When combined with local knowledge and capacity, our training, experience and attention to detail help to ensure on-time deliveries all the way to the final floor position.

As always, if you would like to learn more about any of our services you can email me directly at alan.young@atc-logistics.com

Thanks for reading,

 

Alan Young

Founder and Director

Getting to Europe Post Brexit – The Impact on Ferry Companies

On June 23rd 2016, I was shocked when the UK voted to leave the EU. It all became very real when Theresa May launched the formal two year process, the official Brexit countdown to March 29th, 2017.

RTÉ recently quoted a PwC report on Brexit stating that “The UK’s current unwillingness to consider a Customs Union, and continuing talk of ‘cherry-picking’ which arrangements it does or does not want to retain means that a hard Brexit remains too likely for businesses to ignore,” Feargal O’Rourke, PwC’s Ireland Managing Partner.

Feargal O’Rourke went on to say “the only thing we can be sure of is that disruption and change is inevitable – firms need to prepare now for additional costs, border issues, disruption to supply chains and people mobility issues“.

I was privileged to be invited to the christening of CLDN’s MV Céline in Dublin Port. Standing on the freshly-painted deck of the MV Céline got me thinking about the challenges Ireland will face maintaining easy access to Europe. So I decided to take a closer look at the challenges that ferry companies face in light of this huge change and the provisions they are putting in place.

Challenges

 

Certifications

Upon traveling to the UK, Irish drivers are required to have certifications for themselves and their trucks. Today, EU certification is in place but there has been legislation introduced by the British Parliament to have their own certification introduced to replace that of the EU. The certification as it currently stands covers many important factors such as:

  • Conduct of Drivers
  • Condition of Trucks and Drivers

It is yet to be seen how this particular scenario will pan out but Verona Murphy of the Irish Haulier’s Association told the Irish Times that “any deviation in legal requirements by either side could be extremely problematic for drivers and owners”.

Time Delays

Another issue that is being considered is the time delay that will occur if deliveries have to go through customs in the UK. This will not only affect delivery times but will also have a big impact on costs. Even more critical is the impact on fresh food that needs to be transported swiftly. Chairman of Cork Port, John Mullins said that “there isn’t enough time for food exports to wait in the UK if border restrictions are imposed”.

Opportunities

I’m a glass half-full person, so with challenges there are usually opportunities.

 

New Routes

To combat the main challenges outlined above, many ferry companies are introducing new routes from Irish Ports to Europe directly. These are the main routes that have been announced to date:

  • CLDN: Dublin to Zeebrugge, Belgium
  • Irish Ferries: Dublin to France
  • Brittany Ferries: Cork to Santander, North Spain

 

New Ferries

We are also seeing the launch of new fleet. Irish Ferries are about to launch the WB Yeats which is the largest vessel on our seas and will commence this summer transporting travellers from Ireland directly to France.

MV Céline

As mentioned above, I was delighted to be invited to the christening ceremony of the MV Céline. This is the  world’s largest ro-ro ferry which will travel from Ireland to Belgium and has been described as a “game changer”. At 234m, the MV Celine has a capacity of 8,000 lane metres!

Speaking at the launch Christian Cigrang, CEO of CLDN spoke about the challenges of Brexit and commented, “In terms of maritime access to and from Ireland, we have got this. With the combined acumen and skill of all of us actors in the logistics chain, we will rise to the challenge and hand whatever is being thrown at us. Shipping will provide, it always does.”

To read more about the MV Céline.

While there are still many decisions to be made by ferry companies and Irish Ports about the future operations post-Brexit, there is no doubt that there will be a “change of course” in the transport and logistics industry as a result.

We will keep you posted!

Alan Young

Founder and Director

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Summary of Useful Links

  • https://www.rte.ie/news/business/2018/0413/954189-pwc-report-on-brexit/
  • http://www.thejournal.ie/ship-launching-celine-dublin-port-3969187-Apr2018/
  • https://afloat.ie/port-news/dublin-port/item/37536-world-s-largest-ro-ro-ferry-to-be-introduced-on-dublin-routes-linking-mainland-europe)