A three-stage digital maturity model to assess readiness for blockchain implementation in the maritime logistics industry

Abstract

Interesting opportunities lie in digital technologies, such as blockchain, as enablers of further digital development in maritime logistics processes. Marine companies must assess their digital maturity using appropriate models to gain a competitive advantage through digital transformation. Therefore, it is crucial to present a novel and empirical maturity model for assessing blockchain implementation in maritime logistic organizations. This paper proposes a three-stage digital maturity model that effectively measures digital readiness in maritime logistics industries. The model consists of 5 criteria, 10 dimensions, 45 maturity items, and 5 maturity levels. To exemplify the maturity level within its operations, the model is applied to a case study of Shahid Rajaee Port in Iran. The fuzzy theory and decision-making approaches are used to calculate digital readiness and test the proposed model. The research findings reveal a significant gap in digital maturity studies in the field of shipping and ports. By integrating organizational aspects, our model provides a comprehensive approach to understanding and improving blockchain capabilities within the maritime logistics sector, given that there is no comprehensive maturity model to evaluate the readiness of maritime logistics to adopt blockchain practices.