SECURING MARITIME OPERATIONS:ENHANCING FRAUD PREVENTION WITH BLOCKCHAIN AND NFC TECHNOLOGY

Abstract

Maritime port operations face escalating fraud risks, specifically cargo theft and document falsification, driven by fragmented paper-based processes and information silos. Conventional detection mechanisms lack real-time authentication for high-volume throughput. This study proposes an NFC-Blockchain integration framework that combines Near Field Communication with blockchain to create a digital twin for physical assets. Moving beyond descriptive analyses, this paper details a functional prototype from NFC tag initialization to smart contract execution on a Layer 1 blockchain, establishing a concrete system workflow for secure asset tracking and document verification. A mixed-methods design was utilized, combining a quantitative survey of 423 port operators with five expert interviews and case study analysis. Results reveal a significant readiness gap: while blockchain awareness is high (70%), NFC familiarity is low (35%), with adoption constrained by high implementation costs and technical expertise deficits (both 55%). The proposed architecture demonstrates that integrating these technologies automates compliance via smart contracts and provides tamper-proof real-time traceability. These findings offer actionable technical and strategic guidance for port authorities to mitigate fraud through decentralized infrastructure.