BAL container tracking

How to read a BAL container number

BSRJ1167597 example only — not a real shipment

Container numbers follow ISO 6346, the international standard for freight-container identification: four letters, six serial digits, then one check digit. The first three letters are the owner code — registered with the BIC (Bureau International des Containers) — and the fourth letter is the equipment category (U for a standard freight container).

Take BSRJ1167597 as a BAL-style example: BSRJ is the registered prefix (owner code BSR plus the category letter J), 116759 is the serial, and the final 7 is the check digit computed from the ten characters before it — tracking systems use it to catch typos before they search.

If your BAL tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   Container numbers are exactly four letters plus seven digits (like BSRJ1167597). A common slip is confusing the letter O with zero, or dropping the final check digit. Copy the number from the door of the container or your booking confirmation rather than retyping it.

2. 2 Make sure the number was issued by this carrier

   If your shipment was booked through a freight forwarder, the number on your paperwork may be the forwarder’s own reference, which BAL’s system won’t recognise. Ask whoever issued your documents which carrier number to use — or paste the number on our homepage and we’ll work out who it belongs to.

3. 3 Too early or too late

   New shipments can take a little while to appear — most carriers only start returning results once the container is in their system after export gate-in or acceptance. Long-delivered shipments drop out too: tracking data is usually purged weeks or months after delivery.

4. 4 Still nothing?

   Your booking agent or BAL’s customer service can look the shipment up internally — have the container number and the issuing office or booking reference handy when you ask.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a BAL container?

Type your container number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on BAL’s own tracking page with your number already filled in. BAL container numbers usually begin with BSRJ, BSRU, BSRZ, BURJ.

What does a BAL container number look like?

Container numbers follow the ISO 6346 standard: four letters then seven digits (for example CSNU1234567). The first four letters identify the owner. For BAL the owner prefixes are typically one of BSRJ, BSRU, BSRZ, BURJ, BURU, BURZ. A format-valid example is BSRJ1167597.

Can I bookmark or share my BAL tracking link?

Yes — once your shipment comes up on BAL’s page, you can bookmark that page or send the link to a colleague, and they’ll see the same shipment.

What if my number doesn’t start with BSRJ or BSRU?

Then it probably wasn’t issued by BAL — shipments booked through a freight forwarder or partner carrier often travel under another company’s container number. Paste the number on our homepage and we’ll suggest the right shipping line, or check your shipping paperwork for who issued it.

Is this BAL’s official tracking site?

No — this is a free, independent tool that brings every carrier’s tracking together in one place. When you track here you end up on BAL’s own page, so everything you see comes straight from BAL. We never see or store your shipment details.