Blockchain Effects and Investment Strategies in the Maritime Supply Chain Under Perishable Goods Loss

As the global market for shipping perishable goods expands, the substantial loss and high claim costs associated with these goods have drawn increasing attention. Blockchain technology (BCT) can improve customs clearance efficiency and reduce perishable goods loss. However, the high investment costs present a clear trade-off between enhancing clearance efficiency to mitigate loss and claims costs and the financial burden of BCT adoption. Additionally, determining which stakeholder should invest in BCT has become a critical strategic issue. To address this, we develop three Stackelberg game models to investigate the optimal BCT investment strategies for different entities—the port and the shipping company—in the maritime supply chain. Building on previous models in the existing literature, we incorporate the perishable goods loss rate and claim costs to offer new insights into how the perishable goods loss rate influences BCT investment outcomes. The results reveal that when the shipping company invests in BCT, if its BCT investment cost coefficient is within a certain range, a higher perishable goods loss rate can generate higher profits for both the port and the shipping company. Furthermore, our findings indicate that BCT investment enhances consumer surplus and social welfare in the maritime supply chain when considering perishable goods loss.