OOCL container tracking

How to read an OOCL container number

OOCJ2047274 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 OOCJ2047274 as an OOCL-style example: OOCJ is the registered prefix (owner code OOC plus the category letter J), 204727 is the serial, and the final 4 is the check digit computed from the ten characters before it — tracking systems use it to catch typos before they search.

If your OOCL tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   Container numbers are exactly four letters plus seven digits (like OOCJ2047274). 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 OOCL’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 Paste carefully on OOCL’s page

   OOCL asks you to type the number on its own page, so paste it exactly — no spaces before or after, and no extra characters picked up from an email. If the page shows a security check, complete it and search again.

5. 5 Still nothing?

   Your booking agent or OOCL’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 an OOCL container?

Type your container number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on OOCL’s own tracking page — paste your number there and search. OOCL container numbers usually begin with OOCJ, OOCU, OOCZ, OOLJ.

What does an OOCL 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 OOCL the owner prefixes are typically one of OOCJ, OOCU, OOCZ, OOLJ, OOLU, OOLZ. A format-valid example is OOCJ2047274.

Why does the OOCL page open without my number filled in?

OOCL asks everyone to enter the number on its own page (it has a security check), so it can’t be filled in ahead of time. We bring you to the right page — just paste your number there.

What if my number doesn’t start with OOCJ or OOCU?

Then it probably wasn’t issued by OOCL — 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 OOCL’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 OOCL’s own page, so everything you see comes straight from OOCL. We never see or store your shipment details.