What Is Container Tracking?
Chain's Container Tracking gives your team real-time visibility into the status and location of ocean freight containers. From the moment a container is released to the shipper through final delivery to the consignee, Chain monitors every milestone along the way — so you always know where your cargo is and when it will arrive.
This eliminates the need for manual status checks, phone calls to carriers, or logging into multiple carrier portals. All tracking data flows into Chain automatically and is presented in a single, unified view.
How Does Tracking Work?
Tracking is initiated by providing one of the following identifiers. Each identifier is specific to the carrier shipping line (sealine) handling the shipment:
Master Bill of Lading (MBL)
The primary document number issued by the ocean carrier. This is the most common identifier used for tracking and covers the entire shipment under a single reference.
Bill of Lading (BOL) Number
A reference number tied to the shipment. Depending on the carrier and shipment structure, a single MBL may be associated with one or more BOL numbers.
Container Number
The unique identifier physically printed on the container itself (e.g., MSCU1234567). Use this when you need to track a specific container, especially in multi-container shipments.
Once a tracking request is submitted, Chain begins receiving event updates from the sealine. Updates continue automatically throughout the lifecycle of the shipment — there is no need to poll or re-request tracking.
Where Does the Data Come From?
All tracking data is sourced directly from the ocean carrier shipping line through the sealine's API. Chain does not pull data from ports, terminals, or third-party freight forwarders. The data comes straight from the carrier responsible for transporting your container.
What Does This Mean for You?
Accuracy — Data reflects what the carrier has recorded in their own systems
Consistency — Chain normalizes events from different carriers into a single standardized format, so you get a uniform experience regardless of which sealine is used
Coverage — Tracking spans the full container journey including inland origin, ocean transit, transshipment, destination port, and inland delivery
How Are Events Delivered?
When the sealine reports a new event — or updates an existing one (such as a revised ETA) — Chain processes and normalizes the data, then makes it available through the platform. Each event includes:
A standardized event code and human-readable description
A timestamp with an indicator of whether the date is actual or estimated (ETA)
Location information (port, facility, coordinates)
Vessel and voyage details (when applicable)
The event type (origin port, destination port, inland origin, or inland destination)
The event mode (sea or land)
For the full list of events, see Container Lifecycle Events. For a detailed breakdown of all data fields, see Event Data Reference.