Blockchain technology is proving to be a very useful thing when it comes to the optimization of systems in companies and even governments. This has been the case for many countries like Thailand or the United States of America. The latest one to announce the integration of blockchain technology for the improvement of public services was Brazil. According to local reports, the city of São Paulo will develop a platform using blockchain technology for the registry of public work projects in the city.
The Municipal Secretariat of Urban Infrastructure and Works signed a deal with Construtivo, a blockchain firm, for the development of a blockchain solution for the city hall. The implementation of said platform would enable for public works to remain on an unaltered record. The decision comes after poor conditions forced the city to close several bridges and roads. According to Marcus Granadeiro, president of Construtivo, the platform will enable the city to improve access to relevant data for all stakeholders:
It is imperative that data from all construction work assets in the city of São Paulo or from ongoing projects be available online to any decision-maker. Process and document management takes place in real-time from anywhere.
Furthermore, Granadeiro believes blockchain technology will help the city to identify the source of the problem in public works, even if they surface years after the completion of the work; given that blockchain technology provides an immutable record of the information stored.
The adoption of blockchain technology in the public sector has gained popularity over the past few months, with various levels of governments implementing this tech to improve transparency and efficiency in the public administration. Just a few days ago, the Customs Department of Thailand announced it will adopt TradeLens, a logistic platform fully developed by IBM in association with Maersk. TradeLens aims to reduce paperwork, costs and time associated with the shipping process. The platform will allow both parties (IBM & Maersk) to track about 50% of all cargo shipped by sea using distributed ledger technology (DLT). In the past, shipping firms had to account everything on paper, losing time and money. Thanks to blockchain technology, TradeLens allows for easier tracking of containers, control of temperature and tracking of weight.
