customer stories
Building the frictionless border in Northern Ireland
Building the frictionless border in Northern Ireland
Building the frictionless border in Northern Ireland
GB-NI Border
GB-NI Border
GB-NI Border
Post-Brexit, and upon the negotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol, moving goods between GB and NI became more complex and costly — especially if transporting products of plant and animal origin. Retailers, Hauliers and the UK and EU Governments needed a solution that could remove friction while maintaining trust.
Industry
Industry
Industry
Freight
Food
Pharma
USE CASES
USE CASES
USE CASES
Authentication
Traceability
Compliance
Provenance
Key Results
1.7K journeys
£180m worth of goods
30% efficiency savings
The Brexit challenge: navigating new trade complexities
Following Brexit, the movement of goods between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) became more complex and costly, especially for products of plant and animal origin. The negotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol introduced new regulatory controls, complicating the seamless transit of goods across the GB-NI boundary.
These changes resulted in increased processing times, higher costs, and the need for more rigorous customs checks, causing significant disruptions to supply chains. Businesses faced challenges in ensuring the integrity and timely delivery of their goods, highlighting the urgent need for a streamlined, secure, and efficient solution to manage the new trade landscape.
Innovative solutions: the collaboration behind Secure Freight
In response to these challenges, ubloquity, in collaboration with Fujitsu, Entopy, and B4B, developed Secure Freight, an innovative end-to-end solution designed to enhance transport security and streamline customs processes.
The blockchain-enabled platform captured GPS tracking data, connected it to registered goods and customs information, and authenticated it using smart seal integrity. This created real-time visibility of each journey and consignment, which could be securely shared with participating businesses and government authorities via an online portal.
The platform worked by scanning the contents of all pallets on board a trailer, creating a unique digital twin of the journey and its load. Departing vehicles were fitted with smart seals that locked in the contents and provided real-time activity and geolocation data visible to regulatory bodies.
The Brexit challenge: navigating new trade complexities
Following Brexit, the movement of goods between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) became more complex and costly, especially for products of plant and animal origin. The negotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol introduced new regulatory controls, complicating the seamless transit of goods across the GB-NI boundary.
These changes resulted in increased processing times, higher costs, and the need for more rigorous customs checks, causing significant disruptions to supply chains. Businesses faced challenges in ensuring the integrity and timely delivery of their goods, highlighting the urgent need for a streamlined, secure, and efficient solution to manage the new trade landscape.
Innovative solutions: the collaboration behind Secure Freight
In response to these challenges, ubloquity, in collaboration with Fujitsu, Entopy, and B4B, developed Secure Freight, an innovative end-to-end solution designed to enhance transport security and streamline customs processes.
The blockchain-enabled platform captured GPS tracking data, connected it to registered goods and customs information, and authenticated it using smart seal integrity. This created real-time visibility of each journey and consignment, which could be securely shared with participating businesses and government authorities via an online portal.
The platform worked by scanning the contents of all pallets on board a trailer, creating a unique digital twin of the journey and its load. Departing vehicles were fitted with smart seals that locked in the contents and provided real-time activity and geolocation data visible to regulatory bodies.
The Brexit challenge: navigating new trade complexities
Following Brexit, the movement of goods between Great Britain (GB) and Northern Ireland (NI) became more complex and costly, especially for products of plant and animal origin. The negotiation of the Northern Ireland Protocol introduced new regulatory controls, complicating the seamless transit of goods across the GB-NI boundary.
These changes resulted in increased processing times, higher costs, and the need for more rigorous customs checks, causing significant disruptions to supply chains. Businesses faced challenges in ensuring the integrity and timely delivery of their goods, highlighting the urgent need for a streamlined, secure, and efficient solution to manage the new trade landscape.
Innovative solutions: the collaboration behind Secure Freight
In response to these challenges, ubloquity, in collaboration with Fujitsu, Entopy, and B4B, developed Secure Freight, an innovative end-to-end solution designed to enhance transport security and streamline customs processes.
The blockchain-enabled platform captured GPS tracking data, connected it to registered goods and customs information, and authenticated it using smart seal integrity. This created real-time visibility of each journey and consignment, which could be securely shared with participating businesses and government authorities via an online portal.
The platform worked by scanning the contents of all pallets on board a trailer, creating a unique digital twin of the journey and its load. Departing vehicles were fitted with smart seals that locked in the contents and provided real-time activity and geolocation data visible to regulatory bodies.
We have seen that the current and future benefits of Secure Freight are immense. The simple fact that Finnebrogue can now track our own shipments from the point of collection to delivery point in real-time means that we can more effectively plan our own resource and production.
We can have our goods cleared forward helping prevent delays in production. This gives us complete confidence in the integrity of the cold chain throughout its journey, allowing us to plan our own use of transport more effectively and in doing so reduce food miles and our own carbon footprint.
We have seen that the current and future benefits of Secure Freight are immense. The simple fact that Finnebrogue can now track our own shipments from the point of collection to delivery point in real-time means that we can more effectively plan our own resource and production.
We can have our goods cleared forward helping prevent delays in production. This gives us complete confidence in the integrity of the cold chain throughout its journey, allowing us to plan our own use of transport more effectively and in doing so reduce food miles and our own carbon footprint.
We have seen that the current and future benefits of Secure Freight are immense. The simple fact that Finnebrogue can now track our own shipments from the point of collection to delivery point in real-time means that we can more effectively plan our own resource and production.
We can have our goods cleared forward helping prevent delays in production. This gives us complete confidence in the integrity of the cold chain throughout its journey, allowing us to plan our own use of transport more effectively and in doing so reduce food miles and our own carbon footprint.
Steve McKenry, Logistics Manager, Finnebrogue
Alerts were generated as vehicles approached geofenced locations, notifying officials of approaching loads and reducing the need for manual spot checks. This comprehensive system unified all elements of the supply chain, allowing for pre-approval of goods and automatic completion of complex customs procedures.
Alerts were generated as vehicles approached geofenced locations, notifying officials of approaching loads and reducing the need for manual spot checks. This comprehensive system unified all elements of the supply chain, allowing for pre-approval of goods and automatic completion of complex customs procedures.
Alerts were generated as vehicles approached geofenced locations, notifying officials of approaching loads and reducing the need for manual spot checks. This comprehensive system unified all elements of the supply chain, allowing for pre-approval of goods and automatic completion of complex customs procedures.
Transformative impact: benefits for businesses and authorities
Secure Freight offered several key benefits to both businesses and government authorities:
Enhanced transport security: The blockchain-enabled platform ensured the integrity of goods in transit through multifactor security and authentication, reducing the need for manual checks at ports of entry and exit.
Streamlined customs declarations: By unifying transport and goods information on a single platform, the system simplified customs declarations and allowed for pre-approval of goods, speeding up processing at ports and reducing regulatory checks.
Real-time management: GPS tracking provided real-time visibility of goods in transit, enabling businesses to dynamically plan and adjust operations, minimize potential delays, and support just-in-time supply chains.
Operational efficiency and cost savings: Companies like Finnebrogue Artisan experienced immediate operational savings by avoiding congestion and idle time at loading bays. Real-time shipment tracking allowed for better resource and production planning, reducing food miles and carbon footprint.
Compliance and trusted data: The digital system created trusted, independently verifiable data that enhanced regulatory compliance. It ensured that goods movements stayed within the UK customs territory, supporting simplifications and facilitations for traders.
Improved collaboration and trust: The platform established a new level of collaboration and trust throughout the UK supply chain, making it easier to move goods across the GB-NI and GB-EU borders. Overall, Secure Freight significantly improved the efficiency, security, and compliance of the UK supply chain, addressing the complex challenges introduced by Brexit and enhancing the seamless movement of goods.
Users of the NI border solution included the following brands and retailers:
Transformative impact: benefits for businesses and authorities
Secure Freight offered several key benefits to both businesses and government authorities:
Enhanced transport security: The blockchain-enabled platform ensured the integrity of goods in transit through multifactor security and authentication, reducing the need for manual checks at ports of entry and exit.
Streamlined customs declarations: By unifying transport and goods information on a single platform, the system simplified customs declarations and allowed for pre-approval of goods, speeding up processing at ports and reducing regulatory checks.
Real-time management: GPS tracking provided real-time visibility of goods in transit, enabling businesses to dynamically plan and adjust operations, minimize potential delays, and support just-in-time supply chains.
Operational efficiency and cost savings: Companies like Finnebrogue Artisan experienced immediate operational savings by avoiding congestion and idle time at loading bays. Real-time shipment tracking allowed for better resource and production planning, reducing food miles and carbon footprint.
Compliance and trusted data: The digital system created trusted, independently verifiable data that enhanced regulatory compliance. It ensured that goods movements stayed within the UK customs territory, supporting simplifications and facilitations for traders.
Improved collaboration and trust: The platform established a new level of collaboration and trust throughout the UK supply chain, making it easier to move goods across the GB-NI and GB-EU borders. Overall, Secure Freight significantly improved the efficiency, security, and compliance of the UK supply chain, addressing the complex challenges introduced by Brexit and enhancing the seamless movement of goods.
Users of the NI border solution included the following brands and retailers:
Transformative impact: benefits for businesses and authorities
Secure Freight offered several key benefits to both businesses and government authorities:
Enhanced transport security: The blockchain-enabled platform ensured the integrity of goods in transit through multifactor security and authentication, reducing the need for manual checks at ports of entry and exit.
Streamlined customs declarations: By unifying transport and goods information on a single platform, the system simplified customs declarations and allowed for pre-approval of goods, speeding up processing at ports and reducing regulatory checks.
Real-time management: GPS tracking provided real-time visibility of goods in transit, enabling businesses to dynamically plan and adjust operations, minimize potential delays, and support just-in-time supply chains.
Operational efficiency and cost savings: Companies like Finnebrogue Artisan experienced immediate operational savings by avoiding congestion and idle time at loading bays. Real-time shipment tracking allowed for better resource and production planning, reducing food miles and carbon footprint.
Compliance and trusted data: The digital system created trusted, independently verifiable data that enhanced regulatory compliance. It ensured that goods movements stayed within the UK customs territory, supporting simplifications and facilitations for traders.
Improved collaboration and trust: The platform established a new level of collaboration and trust throughout the UK supply chain, making it easier to move goods across the GB-NI and GB-EU borders. Overall, Secure Freight significantly improved the efficiency, security, and compliance of the UK supply chain, addressing the complex challenges introduced by Brexit and enhancing the seamless movement of goods.
Users of the NI border solution included the following brands and retailers:
