The Role of Port Authority in New Blockchain Scenarios for Maritime Port Management: The Case of Denmark

The purpose of the paper is to determine and examine, to what extent blockchain scenarios for the shipping industry have practical explication from maritime ports' perspective and how these are sync with ports' long-term development strategies, particularly in Denmark. The present study involved qualitative interviews with representatives of the biggest maritime ports of Denmark, varied by location, volumes, operations and cargo type. Data saturation is achieved through several rounds of in-depth semi-structured interviews. Results showed uncertainties in the long-term investment strategy of the considered ports. While focused on land expansion and operation development, the port authorities lack inner-port coordination with related enterprises, which consequently affects overall efficiency. While the development strategy appears to be identical among the port authorities, it varies significantly within specific blockchain scenarios and port's strategy regarding short-term port optimization. Besides, the role of port authority was debated. Authorities are willing to be more involved in supply chain operations as a consultancy rather than just a controlling party, yet are burden by the state restrictions. Unlike generally-discussed blockchain compatibility studies, the current research contributes by revealing core business uncertainties within port area development and communication. Moreover, the case could serve as a representation of small-to middle-size ports in the EU.