Blockchain-based solution provider ShipChain and GTX Corp, a tech firm offering GPS and NFC tracking location-based services, have announced a partnership for a new global NFC blockchain shipment tracking solution.
Under the agreement, ShipChain will use GTX’s temperature enabled NFC smart tags to track temperature-sensitive shipments.
As explained, the tag requires no scanners, or wires, and records temperatures based on customer-defined intervals and durations. In addition, GTX offers other NFC products that ShipChain will utilize to optimize its Track and Trace Platform.
“ShipChain’s new partnership with GTX is another step toward reaching our goal: a transparent, unified, end-to-end logistics platform,” John Monarch, ShipChain CEO, commented.
“While developing our … NFC products…, we realized we needed to incorporate blockchain security in order to be an influencer in the shipment tracking and monitoring business. By collaborating and integrating our technologies with ShipChain, we will enhance our speed to market while providing a much needed comprehensive solution for the industry,” Patrick Bertagna, GTX Corp CEO, said.
The NFC tags provide real-time temperature sensing and data logging across the supply chain necessary with transportation of perishables; food, drinks, pharmaceuticals and other temperature sensitive products that can be negatively affected by conditions in transit. These built-in security measures can prevent the distribution of contaminated supplies in the marketplace and unauthorized modification of data logs, allowing brands, retailers, distributors, and freight forwarders to verify shipment quality.
The encrypted data collected from the tags will be uploaded to the ShipChain blockchain backend providing authentication and chain of custody. This new service will enable temperature-sensitive shipments to be efficiently monitored while in transit, with the potential to manage a range of new government regulatory requirements for perishable shipments.
Integration between ShipChain and GTX has already begun and a joint client will be announced once all details have been finalized, according to the duo. Additionally, ShipChain will begin offering GTX enabled services to all customers as part of the expanding partnership.
“We are seeing more and more demand for efficient, secure, and cost-effective supply chain management solutions and this partnership will deliver all of that plus the tools for data analysis to help reduce shipping costs, comply with regulatory requirements and provide brands the peace of mind that they are not delivering tainted products prior to retail consumption,” Theresa Gordon, GTX Corp NFC business leader, noted.