NxtPort and Port+ present Bulkchain platform
5 March is the day, when after a successful "proof of concept" NxtPort and Port+ present the Bulkchain central collaboration platform.
Bulkchain is a collaborative platform built on NxtPort technology, dedicated to build the Breakbulk port of the Future. Originally founded in the heart of the Antwerp Breakbulk community, the platform allows participants to work together on the administrative processes to ship breakbulk cargo. By sharing data on shipments early in the supply chain, efficiency of the entire process increases, reducing time spent and administration efforts. In the end, all parties involved benefit from working together through the NxtPort platform.
The Bulkchain concept was devised in 2018, and a year later a beta version was demonstrated at the Antwerp XL breakbulk trade fair. Then in October 2019 ArcelorMittal and PSA joined the pilot project.
According to Bulkchain product manager Steven Schutter, the breakbulk community has long been in search of a digital solution to catch up with their colleagues in the container sector. More efficient and transparent communication is essential for all stakeholders. He explains:
"We're doing away with the constant copying-and-pasting, carbon copies and superfluous phone calls. Bulkchain will streamline the entire logistics process. It means much less administrative hassle and more efficient communication among the correct locations, eliminating avoidable errors."
How does the application work in practice? William Moyersoen, CEO of ArcelorMittal Logistics Belgium, says:
"Setting up integration with Bulkchain just once opens the door for all member parties to exchange data in the same way."
For each consignment Bulkchain creates a single file that links all import and export partners, so that all parties involved in the movement are constantly up to date.
Dennis Verbeeck, General Manager of PSA Breakbulk, declares:
"This is the next step towards a paperless work environment, an area in which breakbulk has a lot of room for improvement in comparison with other sectors."
