Ground Handling Firm to Use a Blockchain Document Solution at 28 Saudi Airports

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia-based airport ground handling services firm, Saudi Ground Services, has said it plans to implement a blockchain-based document solution that allows it “to issue over 10,000 digital documents annually including licenses.” According to the firm’s Ayman Alghamdi, using this solution allows SGS to not only easily verify documents and licenses but to improve customers’ experience as well.

Overcoming the Document Verification Challenge

The Saudi airports ground handling services firm, Saudi Ground Services (SGS), recently said it plans to implement a blockchain document solution at 28 airports across Saudi Arabia. In a statement jointly issued with IR4LAB, a Saudi-based innovation-driven company, SGS said the solution known as Doc Certs blockchain management solution will allow it “to issue over 10,000 digital documents annually including licenses.”

Commenting on the ground handling services firm’s plans to use a solution that enables it to overcome the global challenge of verifying documents, Ayman Alghamdi, the Vice President of human resources at SGS characterized the announcement of the agreement as a historical moment for the aviation industry.

“We are very pleased to be announcing this groundbreaking solution at LEAP 2023. This is a historical moment and it’s the first initiative of its kind in the aviation industry. SGS delivers services to over 88 million passengers on 690,000 flights a year,” Alghamdi said.

Alghamdi added that the use of the blockchain solution at Saudi airports will allow SGS to not only easily verify documents and licenses but to improve customers’ experience as well.

The Collaboration Between Blockchain Startups and Established Companies

For his part, Majd Jamal Alafifi, the co-founder and CEO at IR4LAB characterized the agreement with SGS as an example of what he called a “fruitful collaboration” between blockchain startups and established local firms “in the adoption of new technologies such as blockchain.”

The CEO said he is hopeful IR4LAB, which is described as Saudi oil giant Aramco’s “first blockchain technology investment in Saudi Arabia,” will secure similar agreements with other local companies.

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Terence Zimwara

Terence Zimwara is a Zimbabwe award-winning journalist, author and writer. He has written extensively about the economic troubles of some African countries as well as how digital currencies can provide Africans with an escape route.