MENA ports test blockchain cargo verification

A blockchain cargo record is a shared ledger: one tamper-resistant version of a shipping document that customs, ports and carriers can all check. MENA ports are testing it to replace paper-heavy cargo release and document verification. (transportandlogisticsme.com) The clearest recent move came in Abu Dhabi on January 30, 2026, when Abu Dhabi Customs signed a cooperation agreement with Global Shipping Business Network to use electronic bills of lading for digital customs clearance. The agreement said the goal was smoother trade flows and better supply-chain efficiency. (adcustoms.gov.ae) (wam.ae) Dubai had already made a parallel move on July 8, 2024, when Dubai Customs launched a blockchain platform for commercial operations in Dubai and across borders. Officials said it would simplify procedures, speed customs clearance and reduce paperwork through tamper-proof data sharing. (mediaoffice.ae) (gulfnews.com) Abu Dhabi’s earlier groundwork came from Silsal, a blockchain system launched by Maqta Gateway in June 2018. AD Ports said it was built to give trade users secure transaction updates, cut paperwork, and work alongside the port community system already used by freight forwarders. (adports.ae) That project moved beyond an internal test in October 2018, when Abu Dhabi Ports said MSC Mediterranean Shipping Company would help test Silsal on international cargo documents and certificates. The stated aim was to exchange, identify and acknowledge shipping documents between Abu Dhabi Ports and other ports. (adports.ae) The document at the center of these projects is the bill of lading, the shipping paper that proves cargo receipt, sets carriage terms and can control who gets the goods. GSBN says about 20 million paper bills of lading are still couriered around the world each year. (gsbn.trade) Why ports care is straightforward: a single container shipment can involve 20 to 30 documents, many still handled on paper. Transport & Logistics Middle East reported in August 2025 that these delays can add weeks and thousands of dollars per shipment, especially when customs, carriers and banks are all checking different records. (transportandlogisticsme.com) Trade finance is part of the pitch too. DP World says lenders need reliable trade data and visibility over underlying cargo, and its trade-finance unit argues that better cargo control can help banks assess risk and extend working capital to importers and exporters. (tradefinance.dpworld.com) The broader market is still in transition, not full conversion. An International Chamber of Commerce survey published December 12, 2024 found overall electronic bill of lading adoption rose to 49.2% in 2024 from 33.0% in 2022, with dual paper-and-digital use rising to 41.7% from 28.0%. (iccwbo.org) Shipping lines are also trying to solve a technical bottleneck: systems that cannot talk to each other. Digital Container Shipping Association members have targeted 100% electronic bill of lading adoption by 2030, and GSBN-backed interoperability projects went live in 2025 to let an original eBL move securely across platforms. (dcsa.org) (finextra.com) That leaves the MENA story less about a single launch than a sequence: Abu Dhabi’s Silsal pilot, Dubai Customs’ 2024 platform, and Abu Dhabi Customs’ 2026 eBL agreement. The test now is whether ports, customs agencies, carriers and banks can use the same verified record without falling back to paper. (adports.ae) (mediaoffice.ae) (adcustoms.gov.ae)