Impacts of Blockchains on International Maritime Trade

Abstract

The impact of blockchains on maritime trade has been studied from economic and managerial angles. But their combined study from the legal, economic, and managerial angles has rarely been studied. If the economic stakes are beginning to be identified, the way in which the law defines blockchains is more delicate to understand; the international dimension of maritime transport associated with the various national regulations complicates the analysis. After studying the economic benefits of blockchains on maritime trade we analyzed the legal benefits and the outstanding legal issues. These analyses led to a study of the relationship between the maritime supply chain and blockchains. This study shows that the adoption of this innovative technology by maritime trade actors will have many economic, logistical, and legal consequences that cannot be dissociated and are nevertheless systematically dissociated; but that it is difficult to clearly identify or confirm due to the small number of case studies.