"Where is my shipment?" has a different answer depending on which number you hold. International freight generates several reference numbers, they are not interchangeable, and using the wrong one is the most common reason a tracking page returns nothing.
CargoLinked does not provide carrier tracking. This guide explains how the references work so you can track with the party that actually holds the data — your forwarder or the carrier.
The short answer
For ocean, track the bill of lading or booking number with the ocean carrier; the container number tells you about the box, not your booking. For air, track the air waybill (three-digit airline prefix + eight digits) with the airline. If you booked through a forwarder on a house bill, the carrier may show nothing under your number — ask the forwarder, who holds the master reference.
The numbers, and what each is for
| Reference | Format | Tells you |
|---|---|---|
| Booking number | Carrier-specific | The reservation — useful before the bill of lading is issued |
| Bill of lading (B/L) | Carrier prefix + digits | The contract of carriage; the best ocean tracking key |
| Container number | 4 letters + 7 digits (e.g. MSCU1234567) | That physical box — which may carry other people's cargo too, on LCL |
| Air waybill (AWB) | 3-digit prefix + 8 digits | The air consignment; airline systems track this directly |
| House B/L or HAWB | Forwarder's own series | Your contract with the forwarder — carriers usually cannot see it |
House vs master — why your number "doesn't work"
When you book through a forwarder, especially on LCL or consolidated air, you receive a house document. The carrier issues a master document to the forwarder covering the whole consolidation. Carrier tracking sites only know master references. So a house number returning "not found" is normal, not a sign of a problem — ask your forwarder for the master B/L or MAWB, or for their tracking link.
Where to check
- Your forwarder first. They see the carrier data plus everything the carrier does not publish: customs status, destination charges, delivery booking.
- The carrier's own site, using the master reference.
- Port and terminal portals for the last mile of an ocean move — terminal availability, holds and free-time expiry are usually only visible there, and they matter for demurrage.
Why the milestones lag
Tracking shows events that have been reported, not live position. Vessel positions update on their own cadence, gate-in and gate-out events post when the terminal transmits them, and customs status often is not in the carrier feed at all. A shipment can sit "discharged" for a day after it has actually been discharged, and an ETA can move several days while the status line does not change. Treat the ETA as a plan, not a promise — and see transit times by route for what to expect.
The events worth watching
- Gate-in / loaded on vessel — confirms the cargo actually made the sailing it was booked on. Rolled containers are common on tight lanes.
- Departure and transhipment — a transhipment leg is where most delay enters an ocean move.
- Discharged / available — this starts the free-time clock. Watch it closely.
- Customs release — usually only your broker or forwarder can tell you this.
What good communication looks like
Ask, at booking: what tracking will you provide, will you notify me proactively if the ETA moves, and who do I contact out of hours? A forwarder who answers those three well is worth more than a slick tracking page — the wider selection criteria are in how to choose a freight forwarder.
Comparing providers on service as well as price? Post a freight request and ask each quoting forwarder those three questions.
