Quantum Networks for Global Freight: Multi-National Trials Begin for Secure Logistics Data Transmission

The New Race: Quantum Communication in Cross-Border Logistics

Logistics is a fundamentally international enterprise — but the integrity of its operations often hinges on how securely data can be exchanged across jurisdictions. In November 2019, quantum-secured communication emerged as a focal point for multinational freight and logistics coordination.

Rather than wait for large-scale quantum computers to threaten existing systems, several governments and global companies launched early-phase trials using quantum key distribution (QKD) to explore how quantum-safe communications could bolster freight security.

The trials varied in scale and method, but the underlying message was consistent: logistics needs to be ready for a quantum-enabled world.

EuroQCI: Building a Quantum Backbone for the EU

The most significant government-led effort this month came from the European Commission, which formally launched early technical groundwork for EuroQCI — the European Quantum Communication Infrastructure — intended to connect all EU member states with a quantum-safe communication network.

While EuroQCI’s full deployment was still years off, November 2019 saw multiple testbeds established in member countries like Germany, Austria, and Italy. In particular:

• Deutsche Telekom and Airbus conducted experiments with QKD links between logistics hubs in Munich and Vienna.

• These tests simulated secure transmission of customs data and container manifests, ensuring that encrypted keys could not be intercepted or reused — even by actors with quantum computing capabilities.

• Thales Alenia Space and Leonardo began work on future satellite QKD delivery systems to support remote ports and inland logistics operations.

The European Commission emphasized that EuroQCI would be a critical security pillar not only for defense, but for supply chain and logistics resilience, especially amid Brexit-related border concerns.

China Expands Quantum Freight Communications

China, meanwhile, extended its lead in applied quantum communication. The Jinan Quantum Communication Demonstration Network, active since 2017, entered its next phase in November 2019, with use cases targeting inter-city freight and customs operations in the Shandong logistics corridor.

Chinese telecom giant China Unicom, in partnership with the University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), used QKD channels to transmit logistics route data and shipment documents between warehouses and port customs in Qingdao and Jinan — over 400 km apart.

The tests showed that quantum-secured encryption protocols could be layered onto standard 5G logistics infrastructure, enabling real-time, tamper-proof communication between private logistics companies and government checkpoints.

By November’s end, Chinese officials hinted that the QKD approach could be scaled to cover entire Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) corridors, embedding quantum resilience into the country’s global trade expansion.

UK and Japan Launch Joint Quantum Logistics Trial

On November 19, 2019, a notable bilateral development took place: BT Group (UK) and Toshiba (Japan) announced a joint pilot to deploy quantum-secured freight tracking systems between logistics endpoints in London and Tokyo.

This experimental corridor used Toshiba’s QKD-enabled fiber optics to secure sensitive supply chain documents, including air freight data and pharmaceuticals chain-of-custody forms. The trial also explored hybrid quantum-VPN models using both QKD and conventional encryption for seamless integration.

In a joint statement, the two companies emphasized that their work aimed to “create globally interoperable quantum-secured logistics channels, beginning with high-value trade lanes between Europe and Asia.”

This was one of the first instances of quantum-secure communications bridging multiple continents in a freight-specific context — an important milestone in quantum logistics.

IBM and Maersk Explore Quantum in Blockchain Logistics

While QKD captured most of the attention in November, another concurrent development was the interest in quantum communication’s compatibility with blockchain-based logistics systems.

IBM, co-developer of the TradeLens platform with Maersk, began testing how quantum communication nodes could interface with blockchain consensus mechanisms — particularly for private freight consortiums.

• The pilot, involving Maersk’s internal container tracking network, simulated the transmission of blockchain transaction hashes over quantum channels.

• The goal was to explore whether tamper-proof blockchain verification could be enhanced by quantum-secured timestamping.

• The IBM Zurich Research Lab led the experiments, leveraging their Q Network testbed and Qiskit tools to simulate attack scenarios and stress-test hybrid encryption models.

This exploratory work foreshadowed a near-future where freight consortia may use quantum-secured channels to notarize digital waybills, invoices, and chain-of-custody events across complex international handovers.

Middle East: UAE’s Etisalat Invests in Quantum Freight Security

In the Middle East, Etisalat — the UAE’s largest telecom — announced a new partnership with Quantum Xchange, a U.S.-based QKD startup, to evaluate QKD routes along key logistics arteries such as Dubai’s Jebel Ali Port.

While only in proof-of-concept stage, the collaboration sought to assess whether quantum communication lines could be integrated into smart port infrastructure, especially in free trade zones where multiple customs authorities interact with cargo operators.

Given the UAE’s ambition to be a quantum technology leader in the region, officials from the Dubai Future Foundation indicated that smart logistics corridors protected by quantum encryption could become a flagship technology export by 2025.

Key Takeaways: Building the Foundations of Quantum-Secure Freight

The November 2019 developments reveal a pivotal shift: logistics stakeholders are no longer content to wait for quantum computers to arrive — they are proactively designing communication systems that can withstand them.

Whether via fiber-optic QKD, satellite-enabled keys, or hybrid protocols mixing quantum and classical security, the goal is the same: preserve data integrity in motion. And since freight moves globally, these systems must be:

• Cross-border compliant

• Telecom-integrated

• Compatible with existing logistics infrastructure

• Scalable across multimodal environments (air, sea, rail, road)

As more countries invest in quantum communication backbones, international coordination will be key. There is no value in building a quantum-secure node in Singapore if it cannot talk securely with its counterpart in Rotterdam.

Conclusion

November 2019 may be remembered as the month quantum-secured freight moved from lab theory into international trial. As QKD finds its footing across Europe, Asia, and the Middle East, the logistics world is starting to build a new layer of trust into the backbone of trade.

With cyber threats escalating and quantum computing advancing, the next decade could see global logistics systems where every bill of lading, customs document, and routing update is encrypted with physics, not just math.

Quantum communication won't just protect freight — it will redefine the way we move it.