An application on the regulation of customs declaration through smart contract

Advancing technology is a factor influencing almost every aspect of life today. While these technological developments have been occurring, they also bring along changes related to time honored production processes. Blockchain technology, which has been referred to as an innovative technological approach in recent years, is one of these developments. Blockchain is a series of chain formed by adding data blocks in sequence, where transactions are carried out through nodes on the internet network, and the data related to the transactions are stored in distributed databases using encrypted algorithms. In the present day, the data belonging to the customs declaration used during customs procedures are stored in centralized databases. This can lead to the possibility of alterations or irregularities being made to the data, or the data becoming vulnerable to cyber-attacks from malicious individuals or groups. In this context, the aim of the study was to develop a blockchain-based web application that utilizes smart contracts for the regulation of customs declarations used during customs procedures. The current study, from this aspect, aimed at filling the gap in practical application in the literature, alongside the goal of providing theoretical knowledge. To achieve this aim, the prototype model design, a software development method, was adopted in this study. A data template was created from the headings on the import customs declaration. This template was used to create a smart contract on the Ethereum blockchain network using the Remix interface. The "Gümrük" application was developed by transferring the smart contract, coded in the Solidity programming language, to the SciMatic Hybrid Blockchain. The smart contract, coded in the Solidity programming language, was transferred to the SciMatic Hybrid Blockchain network and the "Gümrük" application was developed. The fictitious data assumed to be present in the customs declaration were stored cryptically in distributed databases, after being arranged by "Gümrük" application and verified by the nodes on the blockchain network. As a result, with the blockchain-based "Gümrük", the data were transferred in a fast, secure, transparent, and reliable way.