SFS Technologies and the Marine Stewardship Council Complete Digital Traceability Pilot to Strengthen Chain of Custody Verification

SFS Technologies (formerly Seafood Souq) and the Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) have completed a digital interoperability pilot under MSC's Traceability Enhancement Program (TEP), testing the automated exchange and verification of Chain of Custody data between MSC's TEP digital verification tool and SFS Technologies’ traceability platform.

The pilot, run between January–August 2026, is part of MSC's broader effort to embed standardised, interoperable digital traceability into future iterations of its Chain of Custody (CoC) certification program — the assurance system that verifies MSC ecolabeled products come from a certified fishery. Built on the Global Dialogue for Seafood Traceability (GDST) interoperability standard and GS1's EPCIS 2.0 data framework, MSC's TEP tool is designed to verify samples of Critical Tracking Event and Key Data Element data supplied by GDST-capable technology providers like SFS Technologies, without MSC operating as a central data repository.

Using live shipment data gathered by SFS Trace, the pilot successfully tested registration, information requests, and automated data checks across shipping and receiving events, capturing eight product batches and completing 208 individual data verification checks. The exercise also surfaced technical refinements, including adjustments to location and business-step filtering and date-range parameters, that MSC is incorporating into the tool ahead of further pilots.

The shipment data used in the pilot traces back to SFS Technology's wider partnership with ICV Africa, where SFS e-logbook technology (co-developed between ICV and SFS) is deployed directly on vessels. It was this vessel-to-platform data chain, captured at source rather than logged retrospectively, that allowed complete data to flow through the supply chain. ICV Africa, an MSC-certified fishery and SFS traceability partner, points to what's possible for the future of traceability across the industry.
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“Traceability and transparency are becoming increasingly important for fisheries that want to demonstrate their sustainability and access international markets. The e-logbook we built with SFS means our catch data is recorded at sea, and it is this capturing of reliable data at source that gives buyers greater confidence in the story behind the product and helps fisheries, governments and supply chain partners meet the growing expectations of RFMOs, markets and consumers.”

- Michelle Bellinger, Managing Director, ICV Africa

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"Traceability only works if the data behind it can move between systems without losing integrity. This pilot proved that Chain of Custody information captured on SFS Trace can be verified against MSC's standards automatically, which is exactly the kind of interoperability the food industry needs as sourcing scrutiny increases. For our fishery and supply chain partners, it means certification data that used to require manual reconciliation can now be checked in real time, and that lowers the cost of doing the right thing."

- Scott Chambers, Co-CEO, SFS Technologies

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“Digital traceability is an important part of the future of supply chain assurance, and MSC is working to ensure our Chain of Custody system keeps pace with emerging technologies and best practice. By working closely with technology partners such as SFS Technologies, we can test interoperability in real-world supply chains, learn from implementation, and continually strengthen our approach. This is about future-proofing the system while making traceability more efficient, robust and scalable across the seafood sector.”

 - James Caldwell, MSC's Head of Supply Chain Program Innovation

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MSC has run approximately nine technology pilots over the past two years as part of TEP, working toward a voluntary launch of the enhanced digital pathway with GDST-capable partners. The program is intended to complement MSC's existing third-party audit model, with verified digital data eventually supporting a more risk-based approach to on-site auditing for certificate holders with consistent, clean data records.

About SFS Technologies: SFS Technologies is a technology company transforming global food supply chains through artificial intelligence and data-driven traceability solutions. Operating across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia, SFS develops AI-powered tools that enhance transparency throughout food value chains, helping businesses, regulators, and consumers make more informed decisions. The company's work sits at the intersection of sustainability, food safety, and food security, supporting more resilient and responsible food systems worldwide.

About the Marine Stewardship Council The Marine Stewardship Council (MSC) is a global non-profit organisation working with fisheries, seafood companies, scientists, and consumers to promote sustainable fishing practices and safeguard seafood supplies for the future. The MSC's blue fish label is recognised worldwide as the mark of sustainably sourced seafood, backed by a Chain of Custody certification program that tracks certified products through the supply chain to the point of sale.

Media contact Valeria Mendez, SFS Technologies: valeria@seafoodsouq.com; Julia Costa de Araújo, SFS Technologies: julia@seafoodsouq.com; Catherine Pigeon-Dubeau, Marine Stewardship Council: media@msc.org; James Caldwell, Marine Stewardship Council: media@msc.org.

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