Enhancing maritime supply chain security and efficiency: A review of Zero-Knowledge Proofs in blockchain applications

Abstract

Despite the maritime supply chain being the backbone of global trade, it faces persistent challenges in transparency, fraud prevention, shipment tracking and data privacy. Blockchain technology has emerged as a transformative solution, enhancing trust and traceability within supply chain networks. However, its limitations in data privacy and scalability necessitate advanced privacy-preserving mechanisms. Zero-Knowledge Proofs (ZKP) offers a cryptographic approach to validate data without exposing sensitive information, addressing blockchain’s privacy constraints. This paper reviews the state of the art on current applications of blockchain in maritime supply chain management and explores the integration of ZKP for secure trade document verification, fraud detection, privacy-preserving traceability and regulatory compliance. Additionally, it examines computational overhead, scalability and adoption barriers while proposing future research directions. Implementing ZKP within blockchain-based port operations enables robust governance models, ensuring data verification without revealing confidential details. This approach fosters a secure and privacy-compliant trade environment, enhancing trust and collaboration among stakeholders. By optimising resource allocation and mitigating risks, integrating ZKP can significantly improve maritime supply chain efficiency. Integrating Zero-Knowledge Proofs with blockchain, maritime logistics can achieve a balance between transparency, security and operational efficiency, addressing existing challenges in data privacy and regulatory compliance, improving the sustainability of port operations.