Abstract
This study explores the adoption of blockchain technology by a major South African railway operator on the Container Corridor to enhance efficiency, transparency, and security in rail freight transportation. It aims to understand the transformative effects of blockchain adoption in the railway sector and its significance within the South African context. By addressing the research gap, the study provides valuable insights for supply chain management and rail transportation, contributing to the corridor's performance improvement and industry challenges. The research question explored the extent to which blockchain technology awareness exists within the Container Corridor, while the investigation comprised of four research objectives. The first objective was to investigate the application of blockchain technology within the Container Corridor. The second objective was to explore the drivers of blockchain technology in context of the Container Corridor. The third objective was to explore the challenges of blockchain technology adoption within the Container Corridor. The fourth objective was to identify the advantages of blockchain technology adoption within the Container Corridor.
The study adopted a positivist approach for investigating the use of blockchain technology in the rail transport sector which adopted a deductive reasoning approach for data analysis and the formulation of the research findings. A quantitative case study was conducted for the railway operator. The researcher used purposive sampling to sample 115 respondents in managerial positions. Data was collected using questionnaires, which was electronically deployed to railway operator employees. Real-time information sharing, decision synchronisation, and transparency among supply chain partners are essential for blockchain technology to improve rail supply chains. The study established that the use of blockchain technology on the Container Corridor can address volume growth and efficiency risks, improve productivity of rail transport, and ensure compliance with rail regulations. Although managers acknowledged its potential for the advancement of the Container Corridor.
Key Words: Blockchain; Container Corridor; industry 4.0 technologies; supply chain; technology.