Tracking is only useful if you know which reference to search with and what the milestones actually represent. This guide explains the common reference formats, the typical milestone sequence for ocean and air movements, and the practical steps to take when a shipment appears to stall.
Reference formats
- Booking reference: the reference we issue when a movement is confirmed. It covers the whole door-to-door movement, including legs a carrier reference cannot see, so it is the best reference to search with.
- Container number: four letters followed by seven digits, for example MSCU1234567. The first three letters identify the owner, the fourth is the equipment category, and the final digit is a check digit — a mistyped container number usually fails that check rather than returning a wrong result.
- Bill of lading number: the carrier's contract-of-carriage reference for an ocean shipment. Useful at the port leg, but it will not show inland pre- or on-carriage.
- Air waybill number: eleven digits as a three-digit airline prefix, an eight-digit serial and a check digit, commonly written 123-45678901. A house air waybill issued on consolidated cargo is a separate reference.
- Purchase order or shipment reference: your internal reference, which we can link to the booking so your team searches with what it already knows.
Typical ocean milestone sequence
- Booking confirmed with the contracted carrier partner.
- Cargo collected and documents received.
- Container gated in at the origin terminal.
- Export declaration cleared.
- Loaded on board and departed the origin port.
- Transhipment, where the routing includes a hub.
- Arrived at the destination port and discharged.
- Import declaration cleared and cargo released.
- Delivered, with proof of delivery returned and empty equipment returned.
Typical air milestone sequence
- Cargo accepted at the origin airport following screening.
- Uplifted on the partner airline's flight.
- Transit handling at any intermediate airport.
- Arrived at the destination airport.
- Customs cleared and released from the handling agent.
- Delivered to the consignee with proof of delivery.
What the statuses mean
- In transit: the cargo is moving on a confirmed routing and the next milestone is expected on schedule.
- Action required: something is needed from you or another party — usually a document, an instruction or a payment — before the shipment can progress. These are the statuses to act on first.
- Held or under inspection: an authority or terminal is examining the consignment. Timing is outside carrier and forwarder control, and storage or examination charges may accrue.
- Delivered: the consignee has taken receipt and proof of delivery has been captured.
- Estimated arrival: a forecast from the carrier's schedule, not a guarantee. It moves with port rotation, congestion and weather.
When a status has not moved
Milestone gaps are normal on long legs: an ocean vessel between ports may produce no event for days, and events publish when the carrier or terminal files them rather than in real time.
Work through this sequence before assuming a problem:
- Confirm you are searching with the right reference, without spaces and with the correct number of characters.
- Check whether the last milestone was a departure — the next event may not be due until arrival.
- Look for an action-required flag, which usually indicates missing documentation rather than a physical delay.
- If the expected event is materially overdue, contact your coordinator with the reference so we can query the carrier or terminal directly.
About the tracking tool on this site
The tracking page on this website demonstrates the lookup experience using published sample references, so you can see the reference validation, the milestone timeline and the exception states before a booking exists. It is not connected to a live carrier feed.
For a shipment we are handling, the status confirmed by your coordinator and by the carrier's own documentation is the authoritative one.
