How to Trace International Shipping by Sea

A. LCL freight from the USA:

Once a shipment is booked, we update our customers via email until the cargo departs from the United States. Feel free to contact us regarding the status of your international shipment. When contacting, please have your customer reference number ready. The format of your reference number should look like US200118CL.

Within a few days after the Estimated Time of Departure (ETD) – the estimated day of departure of your shipment from the USA - upon payment of our invoice, you will receive the carrier's express release and the ocean freight Bill of Lading (BOL) in a PDF file. You may consider this BOL the title for your exported goods. Receiving the document means that your cargo successfully departed from the U.S. and is on the way to the place of delivery, as stated in your BOL. Sometimes, if the transit time for your international shipping is short, we may invoice based on a rated proof copy of the BOL.

Several days before the estimated day of arrival (ETA), the day your goods are expected to arrive at the destination, the carrier's destination agent should contact your consignee and notify the party, if any, with an arrival notice.

Please review the procedures outlined in steps 5 to 7 in this step-by-step guide. If you are an inexperienced first-time shipper, you may want to read the information on this web page.

Please keep in mind that the ocean carrier's destination agent may receive information about the arrival of your goods just several days before they arrive. If you contact them in advance, fax or email a copy of your BOL, verify your consignee's contact information, and wait for the arrival notice. You can see the contact information of the ocean carrier's destination agent in your BOL in the section "For Delivery/Pickup Please Apply To."

If, for any reason, you miss your arrival notice around the estimated day of arrival (ETA), don't hesitate to get in touch with the agent with the information from your Bill of Lading.

You should not track your shipment on the steamship line's website using your container number, as listed on your BOL.

Consolidated (LCL) loads may be reloaded during international shipping from the USA to the final destination, which can confuse this tracking method.

SHIPMENTS FROM THE U.S. WITH TRANS-SHIPMENTS: If your BOL shows that the port of discharge in your international shipping is different from the place of delivery, then the ETA on such shipments may not be the ETA to the place of delivery, but the seaport where it will be transshipped to the final destination. It may take an additional 5-25 days for the item to arrive at the place of delivery. For example, some trans-shipments from Europe to Africa may take longer.

Why should you not track LCL shipments by Container Number on your Bill of Lading?

For LCL shipments from the USA, tracking by container number may not be accurate because your cargo shares space with others in the same container and can be reloaded during international shipping from the United States. Instead:

Use your Booking or BOL number
Track it on your sea freight carrier's (cargo consolidator's) website
Watch for arrival notices from the destination agent

Since LCL cargo is consolidated, only your sea freight carrier (cargo consolidator) can provide accurate updates. Always get their tracking link so you can monitor your shipment properly.

B. FCL freight from the USA:

With FCL shipments, having your ocean freight Bill of Lading on hand allows you to trace your shipment directly with the steamship line used in international shipping from the United States. Here is the list of some sea freight carriers commonly used in international cargo transportation from the U.S.:

APL
CMA CGM
KLINE
MAERSK
MSC
OOCL
ZIM
UASC

How to Track FCL Shipments Using Container Numbers

When moving goods from the United States utilizing FCL freight, your container number is the key to tracking your shipment's journey from origin to destination. Unlike LCL shipments, FCL provides direct visibility, as you control the entire container. Here's how to track effectively:

Why Container Numbers Work for FCL

With FCL, your goods occupy a dedicated container, meaning:

No shared space (unlike LCL consolidations)
One-to-one tracking – The number correlates precisely with your cargo
Real-time updates from loading to final discharge

How to Track Your FCL Shipments

1. Locate Your Container Number

Found on the BOL and Booking Confirmation
Example format: ABCU1234567 (4 letters + 7 digits)

Use the Carrier’s Tracking Tool

Every ocean carrier (Maersk, MSC, COSCO, etc.) has an online tracking portal.
Enter your container number for updates on Vessel departure/arrival dates & Port rotations (transshipments, if any)

3. Monitor Port & Customs Progress

Some terminals (like LA/Long Beach or NY/NJ) provide gate-in/out updates
For final delivery, check with the destination trucking company

4. Automate Alerts (Optional)

Many carriers offer email/SMS notifications for milestones (e.g., "Discharged at Rotterdam").

Pro Tips for Reliable Tracking

Cross-check with your BOL: Ensure the container and seal numbers match.
Track the vessel directly: Use tools like MarineTraffic or VesselFinder to see real-time ship movements.
Contact your forwarder if status stalls – Delays may indicate customs holds or documentation issues.

When It Isn’t Enough

While the numbers provide macro-level updates, for granular details (e.g., customs clearance, last-mile delivery), pair them with:

Master BOL number (assigned by the carrier)
Purchase Order (PO) references

If you experience difficulties tracking your shipment, please contact us to assist you with the carrier's tracking process.

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