What is a Bill of Lading number?

The reference on the Bill of Lading — the transport document a carrier or forwarder issues for an ocean shipment. It identifies the whole booking (which can hold several containers). Unlike a container number it has no single fixed format; many start with the line’s 4-letter SCAC code.

The Standard Carrier Alpha Code — a 2-to-4-letter code identifying the carrier (e.g. MAEU for Maersk, MSCU for MSC). Many B/L numbers begin with it, which lets TrackJet route you to the right line.

Why can a B/L number not be found?

It may be too new, already closed after delivery, or held only in the forwarder’s system. TrackJet routes you to the line’s official tracking and never fabricates a status.

Bill of Lading tracking

Track an ocean shipment by its Bill of Lading number. Paste it below — TrackJet detects the carrier (often from the leading SCAC code) and routes you to the line’s official tracking. Where a licensed feed or authorised source exists, it builds a source-labelled timeline; otherwise it links you to the carrier and never fabricates events.

What a Bill of Lading number is

The Bill of Lading (B/L) is the transport document a shipping line or freight forwarder issues for an ocean shipment — at once a receipt for the goods, evidence of the contract of carriage, and (for an original B/L) a document of title. Its number is the reference you use to track the booking. Unlike a container number it has no single fixed shape; it varies by carrier, and many B/L numbers begin with the line’s 4-letter SCAC code.

Bill of Lading vs container number

A single B/L can cover several containers. The B/L number identifies the whole booking and usually shows the full shipment; a container number (ISO 6346, 4 letters + 7 digits) identifies one physical box. If a B/L number does not resolve, try the container number, and vice versa.

SCAC codes of the major lines

The Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC) is a short code identifying the carrier. When a B/L number starts with one, TrackJet uses it to route you to the right line. Common SCACs (real codes):

Carrier	SCAC
Maersk	MAEU
MSC	MSCU
CMA CGM	CMDU
Hapag-Lloyd	HLCU
COSCO	COSU
ONE	ONEY
Evergreen	EGLV
ZIM	ZIMU
Yang Ming	YMLU
HMM	HDMU

SCAC and owner-code prefixes can differ for the same line — the SCAC identifies the carrier on documents, the owner code identifies who owns a container.

Why a B/L number may not be found

It may be too new to have entered the line’s tracking system, closed after delivery, or held only in a forwarder’s system. TrackJet routes you to the carrier’s official tracking and is explicit when there is no source — it never shows an invented status.

FAQ

What is a Bill of Lading number?: The reference on the Bill of Lading — the transport document a carrier or forwarder issues for an ocean shipment. It identifies the whole booking (which can hold several containers). Unlike a container number it has no single fixed format; many start with the line’s 4-letter SCAC code.
Bill of Lading vs container number?: The B/L is the document for the booking; the container number identifies one physical box. Tracking the B/L often shows the entire shipment, the container number a single container. If one does not resolve, try the other.
What is a SCAC code?: The Standard Carrier Alpha Code — a 2-to-4-letter code identifying the carrier (e.g. MAEU for Maersk, MSCU for MSC). Many B/L numbers begin with it, which lets TrackJet route you to the right line.
Why can a B/L number not be found?: It may be too new, already closed after delivery, or held only in the forwarder’s system. TrackJet routes you to the line’s official tracking and never fabricates a status.