# TradeLens - Blockchain Platform for Maritime Transport and Supply Chain

> TradeLens was a blockchain platform by Maersk and IBM designed to digitize the global maritime transport supply chain. The platform aimed to solve manual documentation, complex processes, and lack of transparency in the shipping industry through secure, digital data exchange. The project achieved transit time reductions of up to 40 percent and documentation cost savings of 20 percent, but was discontinued in late 2022 due to lack of industry-wide adoption.

**Sector:** Tertiary sector · **Industry:** Shipping and maritime transport · **Organisation:** A.P. Møller - Mærsk A/S (Mærsk), International Business Machines Corporation (IBM) · **Maturity level:** Production

Canonical URL: https://www.sapientblock.com/en/use-cases/a-p-moller-m-rsk-a-containerschifffahrt-global-vernetzen

## Documentation status

- **Project status:** Production
- **Evidence:** Evidence high
- **Editorial review:** Ufuk Avci, 15 April 2026

## Description

TradeLens was founded in 2018 by IBM and Maersk as a blockchain platform for global container shipping. The system was built on IBM Blockchain (Hyperledger Fabric) and connected ports, customs authorities, freight forwarders, carriers, and recipients on a shared data platform.

TradeLens recorded every handover point of a container shipment on the blockchain: loading at the export port, customs clearance, sea transport, unloading at the import port, onward transport. All participants saw the same immutable shipment status in real time — no more information asymmetry. At its peak: 300+ network members, 600+ million documented shipment events, reportedly 50% of the global container sea freight volume. Deutsche Post DHL was a strategic partner. On 29 November 2022, Maersk and IBM announced the discontinuation of TradeLens — reason given: lack of global industry acceptance for complete standardisation. Lessons learned: a blockchain network fails if competitors (here: other shipping companies like CMA CGM, MSC) are not willing to share data on a platform controlled by Maersk. Governance was the core problem, not the technology. Tech Monitor analysed the collapse in detail.

## Benefits

- Companies could save several thousand US dollars per shipment through more efficient communication and reduced delays.
- Reduction of transit times by up to 40 percent through improved coordination and automation.
- Cost savings of 20 percent in documentation through digitisation of paper-based processes.
- Increased transparency and traceability for all participants in the supply chain in real time.
- Employees were relieved from repetitive manual documentation tasks and could focus on more value-adding activities.

## Challenges

- Concerns about competition and data protection prevented many companies from joining the platform.
- Lack of industry-wide acceptance and insufficient participant numbers led to the discontinuation of the economically unsustainable project.
- Complex integration with existing IT systems of various companies required significant technical and organisational adjustments.
- Employees had to acquire new technical skills in handling blockchain technology and adapt their workflows to digital processes.

## Technology foundation

TradeLens was based on IBM Blockchain technology and used Hyperledger Fabric as its technical foundation. This technology was particularly suitable as it is a permissioned blockchain that can securely exchange confidential business data between trusted partners while ensuring the necessary transparency for all participants in the supply chain.

## Sources

- [TradeLens: Maersk und IBM kooperieren bei Supply Chain Management](https://blockchainwelt.de/tradelens-maersk-ibm-supply-chain/)
- [TradeLens: why did IBM and Maersk's supply chain blockchain collapse?](https://www.techmonitor.ai/geopolitics/tradelens-ibm-maersk/)
- [Seefrachtmanagement: Maersk und IBM ziehen den Stecker ihrer Blockchain-Plattform](https://www.netzwoche.ch/news/2022-12-09/seefrachtmanagement-maersk-und-ibm-ziehen-den-stecker-ihrer-blockchain-plattform)
- [Maersk and IBM to discontinue TradeLens](https://www.maersk.com/news/articles/2022/11/29/maersk-and-ibm-to-discontinue-tradelens)