How does consortium blockchain revolutionize the maritime supply chain? A systematic literature review from a holistic perspective

Abstract

Maritime supply chains (MSCs) are pivotal to the global economy yet face persistent challenges from external volatility, fragmented collaboration, and sustainability mandates. While consortium blockchain technology is heralded as a transformative solution, its adoption remains underexplored and lacks a holistic analytical framework. This study addresses this gap by conducting a systematic literature review of 81 studies to develop a comprehensive framework. The findings reveal that consortium blockchain adoption is not a binary event but a dynamic process shaped by the interplay of technological, organizational, and environmental factors. The analysis demonstrates that heterogeneous actors—governments, shipping lines, ports, and freight forwarders—assume distinct roles as drivers, pioneers, followers, or skeptics based on absorb capacity costs versus capture value within the emerging ecosystem. The successful transition from a technical platform to an operational system depends on a structured, multi-stage workflow encompassing identity authentication, smart contract collaboration, execution monitoring, and disintermediated payment settlement. Furthermore, this study identifies dual effects. While blockchain enhances efficiency, transparency, and sustainability, it simultaneously introduces power imbalances, systemic rigidity, and market concentration risks. By elucidating the strategic dynamics of adoption, operational implementation mechanisms, and paradoxical outcomes, this study provides a nuanced understanding of how consortium blockchain revolutionizes MSCs.