Blockchain Supply Chain Management Case Study: Blockchain in Supply Chain—From Theory to SCM Blockchain

Decision-makers are moving from pilots to production as regulations, standards, and real ROI converge. This case-led guide shows how to turn “blockchain in supply chain” theory into compliant, interoperable, privacy-preserving SCM systems that ship value in months—not years.

Executive summary

eBL, DSCSA, EUDR, FSMA, and the EU Battery Passport timelines now directly shape architecture choices; interoperability with GS1 EPCIS 2.0, W3C Verifiable Credentials 2.0, SD‑JWT (RFC 9901), and DCSA eBL standards is the shortest path to credible ROI.
Winning programs combine off-chain EPCIS event stores with on-chain integrity proofs, verifiable credentials for participant and product claims, and zero‑knowledge selective disclosure to pass audits without leaking supplier IP. (gs1.org)

Why now: deadlines, standards, and paperless trade momentum

FDA FSMA 204: Original compliance date was January 20, 2026, but FDA now indicates it will not enforce before July 20, 2028 pursuant to Congressional directive—plan long‑lead data work, but align enforcement expectations accordingly. (fda.gov)
DSCSA: After the 2023–2024 stabilization period, FDA granted staged enforcement exemptions—manufacturers/repackagers (May 27, 2025), wholesalers (Aug 27, 2025), dispensers ≥26 FTE (Nov 27, 2025), small dispensers (Nov 27, 2026). Architect for EPCIS 2.0 exchange and ATP credentialing now. (fda.gov)
EUDR: EU deforestation regulation application was postponed; Council and Parliament approved a one‑year delay (to Dec 30, 2025 for large operators; micro/small by June 30, 2026), and in Dec 2025 the Council adopted a targeted revision shifting application for all operators to Dec 30, 2026 (with six additional months for micro/small). Build geolocation-backed traceability now to avoid rework. (consilium.europa.eu)
UK ETDA: Since Sept 20, 2023, the UK gives electronic trade documents (e.g., eBL) the same legal status as paper—reducing legal risk for digital bills. (legislation.gov.uk)
DCSA eBL: Ocean carriers committed to 100% eBL by 2030 (50% within five years). Interoperable eBL transactions were demonstrated in May 2025; market adoption measured 5.7% in Jan 2025—standards‑aligned stacks are the de‑risked route. (dcsa.org)
Battery passports: EU Regulation (EU) 2023/1542 mandates digital battery passports from Feb 18, 2027; due-diligence obligations were “stop‑the‑clocked” to Aug 18, 2027, tightening EV/industrial battery traceability. (eur-lex.europa.eu)

Case A — Container shipping: eBL + cargo release in production

What changed from “nice pilot” to scaled value:

Interoperability and law: DCSA standards plus MLETR‑aligned laws (e.g., UK ETDA) removed blockers to eBL negotiability. (dcsa.org)
Network design: GSBN proves neutral governance and focused apps (Cargo Release, eBL bridging) beat monoliths. Cargo Release is live across 24 ports with 1.5M+ shipments; time to “document‑ready for release” falls from days to hours. (gsbn.trade)
Carbon and cost: A GSBN study estimates ~28 kg CO2e saved per eBL; digitizing ~15.8M bills could cut ~440,820 t CO2e—material for Scope 3. (container-mag.com)
Interop milestone: In May 2025, DCSA executed a standards‑based interoperable eBL transaction across providers—this is the template your RFP should require. (dcsa.org)
Lessons learned: TradeLens’ 2022 shutdown underscores the need for industry‑wide neutrality and viable commercial models; avoid “single‑sponsor” governance. (maersk.com)

How to implement in 90 days:

Phase 0 (2 weeks): Legal gap analysis vs. MLETR/ETDA in trade lanes; map counterparties to DCSA eBL capabilities. (legislation.gov.uk)
Phase 1 (6 weeks): Stand up a gateway that (a) issues/accepts DCSA eBLs, (b) anchors document hashes on a public chain, (c) integrates with port cargo release APIs at one import terminal (e.g., via GSBN). (gsbn.trade)
Phase 2 (4 weeks): Expand to two additional carriers; measure cycle time, discrepancy rate, and demurrage avoidance; project carbon savings from paper removal. (dcsa.org)

KPI ranges we see:

Document cycle time: 3–7 days to hours; exception handling time often drops >50%.
Discrepancy rate: down via canonical schemas (DCSA) and shared identity.

Case B — Pharma: DSCSA, EPCIS 2.0, and confidential compliance

What’s required:

Interoperable exchange of serialized data (EPCIS), package-level tracing, ATP credentialing, and verification—now under staged enforcement through 2026 for specific partner types. (fda.gov)
FDA’s final guidance clarifies standards for interoperable exchange; industry blueprints (PDG) frame ATP credentials using W3C DIDs/VCs. (fda.gov)

Design pattern we deploy:

Event layer: EPCIS 2.0 for capture/query with sensor data, certifications, and JSON‑LD—kept off‑chain for performance and GDPR. (gs1.org)
Integrity layer: Hourly Merkle roots of EPCIS events anchored to a public chain (tamper‑evidence without data leakage).
Identity and credentials:
- Organization and system identities as W3C DIDs;
- ATP status, wholesaler/dispenser licensing, and DSCSA role claims as Verifiable Credentials 2.0;
- Presentations using SD‑JWT (RFC 9901) or BBS+ selective disclosure to prove “is authorized wholesaler” without exposing identity graph. (w3.org)
ZK where it counts: MediLedger’s FDA pilot demonstrated ZK‑based transaction privacy and feasibility at industry throughput—use it to confirm chain‑of‑ownership without sharing your trading graph. (tabletscapsules.com)

Deployment realities:

Enforcement checkpoints in 2025–2026: manufacturers/repackagers (May 27, 2025), wholesalers (Aug 27, 2025), larger dispensers (Nov 27, 2025), small dispensers (Nov 27, 2026). Prioritize upstream EPCIS correctness and ATP credentials by partner class. (fda.gov)
Vendor conformance matters: GS1 US conformance trustmarks indicate EPCIS file support maturity—shortcut your vendor assessments. (tracelink.com)

What “good” looks like in 6–9 months:

95%+ of shipments accompanied by conformant EPCIS events;
Sub‑minute ATP verification via VC presentation;
Immutable audit trail of event digests with evidence usable in regulator inquiries.

Case C — EV and industrial batteries: readying for the EU Battery Passport

What’s different:

By Feb 18, 2027, LMT/industrial (>2 kWh) and EV batteries placed on the EU market must have a digital battery passport accessible via QR code; due-diligence obligations shift to Aug 18, 2027. Data must be machine‑readable, interoperable, and up‑to‑date. (eur-lex.europa.eu)
Early mover proof: Volvo launched what it calls the first EV battery passport (EX90), tracing material sources, recycled content, and carbon footprint, with a reported per‑vehicle passport cost near $10. (reuters.com)

Blueprint:

Identity model: Assign DIDs to cells/modules/packs and facilities; issue VCs for material origin, smelter/refiner audits, and carbon declarations—revocable via Bitstring Status Lists. (w3.org)
Chain‑of‑custody: Use ISO 22095 models (identity‑preserved vs. mass balance) per flow. For cobalt and nickel where aggregation is unavoidable, encode mass‑balance attestations with verifiable credentials plus periodic physical audits. (iso.org)
Passport store: Off‑chain JSON‑LD passport conforming to Regulation 2023/1542 Annex XIII; anchor version hashes on‑chain; QR resolves to a controller‑mediated view by audience (public/authorities/legitimate interest). (eur-lex.europa.eu)

KPIs to track:

Coverage: % of packs with complete origin + footprint claims, and % with third‑party audit VCs.
Update latency: time from event (manufacture/repair/reuse) to passport refresh.

Food and agriculture: FSMA 204 meets EUDR

FSMA 204 recordkeeping: maintain/share KDEs for foods on the FTL and deliver records within 24 hours; FDA’s tech stack will ingest spreadsheets and process into EPCIS in its Product Tracing System (PTS)—EPCIS is not mandatory but is the fastest path to interoperability. (fda.gov)
Standards in the stack: GS1 EPCIS 2.0 adds sensor data and JSON‑LD/REST; GS1 US guidance maps FSMA 204 KDEs/CTEs to GS1 identifiers (GTIN, GLN). (gs1.org)
EUDR: New application dates (see above) require plot‑level geolocation for commodities like coffee/cocoa; prepare to bind geospatial proofs to lots using VCs while protecting farmer PII via SD‑JWT/BBS. (consilium.europa.eu)
Mass balance in the real world: Unilever’s palm oil pilot with SAP GreenToken tracked >188,000 tons using tokenized mass balance—use this model where physical segregation is infeasible but regulators accept book‑and‑claim/mass balance with controls. (news.sap.com)

Architecture that wins audits and protects secrets

Data plane

Off‑chain EPCIS 2.0 event store (CTEs/KDEs; sensor data; cert references).
Versioned document store for eBLs, passports, and certificates.

Integrity plane

Periodic Merkle roots of event batches anchored to a public chain (Ethereum mainnet/L2) to render tampering economically implausible; keep PII and commercial terms off‑chain.

Identity and access

W3C DIDs for organizations, devices, shipments; Verifiable Credentials 2.0 for roles (ATP, exporter, refiner), compliance claims (country of origin, certification). (w3.org)

Privacy by default

SD‑JWT (RFC 9901) for selective disclosure of claims in JWT ecosystems (widespread tooling).
BBS+ Data Integrity cryptosuite for unlinkable proof presentations in JSON‑LD ecosystems. (datatracker.ietf.org)

Legal/evidence

Sign all artifacts with qualified org keys; record hash, timestamp, signer DID; align with MLETR jurisdictions to keep negotiability of electronic documents of title. (legislation.gov.uk)

“From theory to SCM blockchain” playbook (12 months)

Month 0–1: Regulatory scoping and standards mapping
- Map lanes/products to: DSCSA/FSMA 204/EUDR/ETDA/Battery Reg.
- Choose chain‑of‑custody per ISO 22095 (identity‑preserved vs mass balance). (iso.org)
Month 2–3: Reference architecture
- EPCIS 2.0 capture/REST API; DID/VC registry; anchoring service; SD‑JWT/BBS verifier gateway. (gs1.org)
Month 4–6: Two‑partner pilot per lane
- For shipping: DCSA eBL + Cargo Release at one terminal; for pharma: EPCIS exchange + ATP VC; for batteries: passport MVP with two suppliers. (dcsa.org)
Month 7–9: Interop hardening
- Conformance tests (GS1 EPCIS), eBL interop, VC revocation/status; run tabletop regulatory audit with real data. (tracelink.com)
Month 10–12: Scale‑out
- Add 5–10 suppliers; automate credential issuance; push Merkle anchors to public chain; finalize governance (onboarding, fees, SLAs, data retention).

Vendor/RFP checklist for 2026 procurements

Standards coverage
- GS1 EPCIS 2.0 capture/query; GS1 US conformance trustmarks (ask for the list). (tracelink.com)
- DCSA eBL standard; evidence of multi‑platform interop. (dcsa.org)
- W3C VC 2.0 issuance/verification; SD‑JWT (RFC 9901) and BBS+ support. (w3.org)
Regulatory alignment
- DSCSA EPCIS and ATP credentials; FSMA 204 export to FDA PTS; EUDR geolocation capture; EU 2023/1542 passport fields. (fda.gov)
Governance
- Neutral operator model (learn from TradeLens); clear exit/migration clauses; auditability of anchors/proofs. (maersk.com)
Security & privacy
- HSM‑backed key mgmt; off‑chain PII; ZK/Selective Disclosure; signed, time‑stamped evidence bundles.

Pitfalls to avoid (and what to do instead)

Big‑bang, all‑on‑chain designs: Put data where it belongs—events off‑chain, proofs on‑chain; regulators care about evidence and timeliness, not gas usage.
Ignoring legal substrate: eBLs without MLETR‑aligned lanes remain contract‑based workarounds; target MLETR/ETDA routes first. (legislation.gov.uk)
Neglecting conformance: EPCIS variations break interop—require GS1 conformance testing up front. (tracelink.com)
Single‑sponsor networks: Ensure neutral governance, published APIs/standards, and multiple solution providers to avoid ecosystem fragility. (maersk.com)

ROI with credible numbers

eBL macro‑impact: McKinsey/DCSA analysis suggests 100% eBL could unlock ~$18B in direct ecosystem gains and $30–40B in trade growth; pair this with local demurrage and courier savings for your business case. (dcsa.org)
Throughput and labor savings: Ports using Cargo Release report “days to hours” document readiness—translate into lower storage, quicker cash cycles. (gsbn.trade)
Compliance risk reduction: DSCSA/FSMA/EUDR/battery passport readiness avoids forced holds/denials; FDA and EU timelines give windows to implement without fire drills. (fda.gov)

Appendices: reference details you can act on

FDA FSMA 204: data requested within 24 hours; FDA PTS converts to EPCIS internally—design to export EPCIS or sortable spreadsheets that losslessly map to EPCIS. (fda.gov)
DSCSA enforcement cadence and ATP credentials: plan partner‑type waves and use VC/DID wallets to streamline onboarding. (fda.gov)
DCSA eBL adoption status: 5.7% (Jan 2025) with interop milestone in 2025—select providers that participated in interop pilots. (dcsa.org)
EU Battery Passport: QR‑linked passport with role‑based views; design for delegated updates and revocation. (eur-lex.europa.eu)

Bottom line

SCM blockchain has matured from pilotware to a standards‑anchored, regulator‑aligned capability. If you implement EPCIS 2.0 off‑chain data, on‑chain integrity proofs, and verifiable, selectively disclosable credentials, you’ll meet the next three years of trade and compliance deadlines while protecting supplier IP—and you’ll do it with measurable cycle‑time, carbon, and cost wins. The playbook above is how we at 7Block Labs ship it.

Sources cited

Regulations and standards: FSMA 204, DSCSA, EUDR, ETDA, DCSA eBL, GS1 EPCIS 2.0, W3C VCs/DIDs, SD‑JWT RFC 9901, ISO 22095, EU Battery Regulation. (fda.gov)

Maritime case references: DCSA interop milestone; GSBN Cargo Release metrics; eBL benefits and APEC support; TradeLens closure. (dcsa.org)

Pharma case references: FDA DSCSA standards; PDG blueprint; GS1 conformance; MediLedger pilot. (fda.gov)

Battery case references: EU 2023/1542; due‑diligence postponement; Volvo EX90 passport. (eur-lex.europa.eu)

Food/EUDR references: FDA PTS/EPCIS processing; GS1 FSMA guidance; EUDR application dates. (fda.gov)

Description: A decision-maker’s playbook showing how to implement standards-based blockchain supply chain systems that meet DSCSA/EUDR/FSMA/Battery Passport deadlines, with real case studies (eBL, pharma, EV batteries), concrete architectures, and measurable ROI.