Cathay Pacific pioneers ULD blockchain technology

Hong Kong-based Cathay Pacific is the first airline to introduce blockchain technology to manage its ULDs in real time via a mobile app and will ultimately eliminate paper receipts, following a successful trial last year.

The first stage of the project began in July. It will initially focus on ULD transactions in Hong Kong and selected locations in the US before being rolled out across the entire Cathay Pacific network.

The carrier describes its blockchain-enabled system as a “single source of truth” that provides standard data and greater visibility for all concerned parties. Once all ULDs have the necessary sensors installed, it can become a total paperless solution.

Cathay Pacific e-cargo and digital enablement manager Calvin Hui, who initiated the project, said: “Using blockchain to establish a trustworthy ULD database across the network will not only assist with ULD management, but also improve the service quality and experience for our customers.

“The most obvious benefit we expect to see is having sufficient ULD stocks for our customers during peak cargo periods, because we will know where exactly to find our ULDs.”