ZIM container tracking

How to read a ZIM container number

ZCLJ9908866 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 ZCLJ9908866 as a ZIM-style example: ZCLJ is the registered prefix (owner code ZCL plus the category letter J), 990886 is the serial, and the final 6 is the check digit computed from the ten characters before it — tracking systems use it to catch typos before they search.

If your ZIM tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   Container numbers are exactly four letters plus seven digits (like ZCLJ9908866). 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 ZIM’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

   Timing matters: a number that was only just issued may not show results yet, and carriers remove old shipments from public tracking a few weeks after delivery. If the shipment is very new or long delivered, an empty result doesn’t mean the number is wrong.

4. 4 Still nothing?

   Contact whoever sold you the freight service (your forwarder, broker, or ZIM directly) with the container number and the booking reference — they can see internal status that public tracking doesn’t show.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track a ZIM container?

Type your container number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on ZIM’s own tracking page with your number already filled in. ZIM container numbers usually begin with ZCLJ, ZCLU, ZCLZ, ZCSJ.

What does a ZIM 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 ZIM the owner prefixes are typically one of ZCLJ, ZCLU, ZCLZ, ZCSJ, ZCSU, ZCSZ. A format-valid example is ZCLJ9908866.

Can I bookmark or share my ZIM tracking link?

Yes — once your shipment comes up on ZIM’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 ZCLJ or ZCLU?

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