How do I track a shipping container?

Paste the 11-character container number (4 letters + 7 digits, e.g. MSCU1234565) into the box above. TrackJet detects the ISO 6346 format, identifies the line from the owner code and routes you to that line’s official tracking page. Where a licensed feed or user-authorised source exists, it also builds a source-labelled timeline.

Container number vs Bill of Lading — which do I have?

A container number is 4 letters + 7 digits (MSCU1234565). A Bill of Lading number is the shipping line’s document reference and has no fixed shape. Both can be tracked; the B/L often shows the whole booking, the container number a single box.

Why does my container number not show any movement?

A valid number only means it is well-formed. The line may not publish that box’s position, the booking may be too new, or tracking may need the B/L instead. TrackJet never invents events — when there is no source it routes you to the carrier and says so.

Is the container number the same on every leg?

Yes. The physical box keeps its number for its whole life, across every voyage and line that leases it — which is why the owner code may differ from the line currently carrying it.

Container tracking

Track an ocean shipping container by its number. Paste it below — TrackJet reads the ISO 6346 format, identifies the line from the owner code and takes you to that line’s official tracking. Where a licensed feed or a source you authorise is available, it builds a source-labelled, verifiable timeline. It never fabricates events.

How container tracking works

Every shipping container carries a unique number painted on its side and printed on the paperwork. That number is standardised worldwide by ISO 6346, so any system can recognise it. TrackJet detects the format the moment you paste it, extracts the 4-letter owner code, matches it to the shipping line, and routes you to the line’s own tracking surface — the authoritative source for that box. Across all five verticals TrackJet covers, that is 222 active public tracking surfaces it can route to. When a carrier provides a licensed event feed, or you forward an update, TrackJet records a source-labelled timeline you can verify; otherwise it is honest that it is routing only.

The container number format

A container number is 11 characters: a 3-letter owner code, a category letter (U freight container, J chassis, Z trailer), a 6-digit serial and a check digit. For example MSCU 123456 5 — owner MSC, category U, serial 123456, check digit 5. The check digit is computed from the other ten characters, so a single typo is caught instantly. You can verify any number with the free check-digit calculator, or read ISO 6346 in full.

Major shipping lines & their owner codes

The owner code is the first three letters. These are the BIC-registered prefixes you will see most often (a line can own several). The owner code identifies who owns the box, which is usually — but not always — the line carrying it.

Shipping line	Common owner-code prefixes
MSC	MSCU, MEDU
Maersk	MAEU, MSKU, MRKU
Hapag-Lloyd	HLXU, HLBU, HPLU
CMA CGM	CMAU, CGMU
COSCO	CSNU, COSU, CBHU
Evergreen	EGHU, EISU, EGSU
ONE	ONEU
ZIM	ZIMU
Yang Ming	YMLU
HMM	HMMU, HDMU

Container number vs Bill of Lading

Two different references travel with the same shipment. The container number identifies one physical box (ISO 6346, fixed shape). The Bill of Lading number is the carrier’s document for the whole booking, which may hold several containers, and has no fixed format. If a container number shows nothing, the Bill of Lading often does, and vice versa.

Why a number may not move

A valid number is not a promise of data. The booking may be too new, the line may not publish that box’s position, or tracking may require the Bill of Lading instead. TrackJet is built so you never see invented progress: when there is no real source, it says so and links you to the carrier. When there is, every event shows where it came from.

FAQ

How do I track a shipping container?: Paste the 11-character container number (4 letters + 7 digits, e.g. MSCU1234565) into the box above. TrackJet detects the ISO 6346 format, identifies the line from the owner code and routes you to that line’s official tracking page. Where a licensed feed or user-authorised source exists, it also builds a source-labelled timeline.
Container number vs Bill of Lading — which do I have?: A container number is 4 letters + 7 digits (MSCU1234565). A Bill of Lading number is the shipping line’s document reference and has no fixed shape. Both can be tracked; the B/L often shows the whole booking, the container number a single box.
Why does my container number not show any movement?: A valid number only means it is well-formed. The line may not publish that box’s position, the booking may be too new, or tracking may need the B/L instead. TrackJet never invents events — when there is no source it routes you to the carrier and says so.
Is the container number the same on every leg?: Yes. The physical box keeps its number for its whole life, across every voyage and line that leases it — which is why the owner code may differ from the line currently carrying it.