This year, blockchain testing programs will evolve from pilot tests to real-world platforms, and supply chain management is among the industries the distributed ledger technology is set to disrupt.In January, Maersk and IBM announced a joint venture todeploy a blockchain-based electronic shipping system that will digitize supply chains and track international cargo in real time.[ Related: The top 5 problems with blockchain ]The new platform could save the global shipping industry billions of dollars a year by replacing the current EDI- and paper-based system, which can leave containers in receiving yards for weeks.