<p>When you are transporting cargo internationally, either by ocean freight or air freight, tracking your goods is important for various reasons. To start, it helps you know its location at any given point in its journey. It enables you to get a head’s up in case of delays and find out sooner rather than later if there have been any other mishaps. Keeping informed of the status will help you better plan the next steps in your supply chain and your delivery schedules. &nbsp;</p><p>This article will cover &nbsp;</p><ul><li>How to track your ocean freight shipment </li><li>How to track your air cargo </li><li>Innovative tracking tools and new technologies &nbsp;</li></ul><p>Read our blog on the <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/blogs/visibility-in-freight" target="_blank">importance of freight tracking</a> and how real-time freight cargo tracking can give them a competitive edge.</p><p><a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></p><h2><strong>On your ocean or air carrier’s website</strong> </h2><p>Almost all shipping lines and cargo airlines offer a tracking facility on their websites, where you can enter certain details and get information on the whereabouts of your shipment. </p><h3><strong>Ocean container tracking</strong> </h3><p>For ocean container tracking, you can enter one of the following to track your shipment and get details such as last location, estimated arrival date, among others depending on what that particular carrier offers. &nbsp;</p><ul><li><strong>Container Number - </strong>Comprises of four letters at the start (owner code+ equipment code), a six digit serial number, and a check digit at the end. </li><li><strong>Bill of Lading Number - </strong>The <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/blogs/types-and-usage-of-bill-of-lading-meaning" target="_blank">Bill of Lading (BOL)</a> is a standard document issued by the shipping carrier and is required in order to move an ocean freight shipment. &nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li><strong>Booking Number -</strong> This services a reservation number for your cargo and is provided by the shipping company with which you book your shipment. </li></ul><p>With this method you will have to go to the individual websites of different shipping lines or container transport companies to check the status of all your containers. This can be cumbersome and time consuming. Cogoport’s <a href="https://www.cogoport.com/container-tracking-shipping" target="_blank">container tracking tool</a> allows you to track all your containers across various shipping lines, in one place. &nbsp;</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><a href="https://app.cogoport.com/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></figure><h3><strong>Air cargo tracking</strong> </h3><p>To track your air cargo, visit the airline website’s track shipments section and input your Airway Bill (AWB) number to get details of the cargo's air route, a tracking report, status update, and estimated time of arrival for your shipment. &nbsp;</p><p>An AWB is a document issued by the airline and serves as evidence of the contract for the shipment. It contains details about the goods being transported. It has a unique 11 digit number that helps the shipping company keep track of cargo movements and serves as a way to identify your consignment. &nbsp;</p><h2><strong>Cogoport’s container tracking tool</strong> </h2><p>Similar to the way you can track your ocean freight containers on each shipping lines’ individual websites, Cogoport offer you’re a free container tracking tool. This tool allows you to track containers across various shipping lines, regardless of where you have booked your shipment. All you need to do is enter your container number and shipping line and you can get comprehensive information such as location, real-time status, and estimated time of arrival at the different points in its journey. &nbsp;</p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><a href="https://cogoport.com/signup?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=blog_banner&amp;utm_campaign=blog_banner" target="_blank"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5e57ba59552cf400c593fd16/610787e9268e866349aa315b_Track%20Containers%20Banner.png" loading="lazy" alt="Track all your shipping containers in one place, with Cogoport" style="width: 901px; height: 500px;"></div></a><figcaption>Cogoport's Container Tracking tool allows you to track all your shipping containers in one place</figcaption></figure><h2><strong>AIS vessel tracking</strong> </h2><p><a href="https://www.marineinsight.com/marine-navigation/automatic-identification-system-ais-integrating-and-identifying-marine-communication-channels/" target="_blank">Automatic Identification System</a> (AIS) is an automated tracking system whereby transponders fitted to ships automatically provide its position and other information to neighbouring ships and coastal authorities. Ships equipped with AIS transponders can be tracked by AIS base stations that gather data to create a near-real-time picture of global shipping traffic. &nbsp;</p><p>There are multiple AIS ship tracking and intelligence providers that have websites on which you can enter the name of the vessel carrying your cargo to get the following details, and more: </p><ul><li>Current position </li><li>Local time </li></ul><ul><li>Area </li><li>Current port </li><li>Latitude/Longitude </li><li>Status </li><li>AIS Source </li></ul><ul><li>Speed/Course </li><li>Nearby vessels </li><li>Distance Travelled </li><li>Distance to go </li><li>Total voyage distance </li></ul><ul><li>Time to destination </li></ul><p>Some such websites are MarineTraffic, <a href="https://www.fleetmon.com/" target="_blank">FleetMon</a>, ShipFinder, <a href="https://www.vesseltracker.com/" target="_blank">Vesseltracker</a>, and Vesselfinder, among others. &nbsp; &nbsp; </p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-center" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="center"><div><img src="https://uploads-ssl.webflow.com/5e57ba59552cf400c593fd16/6107887078f006170e39f1ed_AIS.jpg" loading="lazy" alt="6107887078f006170e39f1ed_AIS.jpg"></div><figcaption>An Automatic Identification System (AIS) installed on a ship to track and display other ships in the vicinity.</figcaption></figure><h2><strong>GPS tracking </strong> </h2><p>If you wish to keep close track of your ocean or air cargo, you can attach a wireless GPS device to it. These devices provide the real time location of the containers right from the first mile to the last mile. A few things to keep in mind are - &nbsp;</p><ul><li>This system relies heavily on signals and network connectivity which can sometimes be an issue once the cargo is on-board. </li><li>The GPS device may not get approved by the airline. &nbsp;</li><li>The Lithium-Ion present in most wireless GPS devices is categorised as ‘Dangerous Goods’ for air travel. Hence the GPS device could be disallowed from getting tagged to consignments. &nbsp;</li></ul><ul><li>Getting updates will be hindered if the device is damaged or the battery gets exhausted, especially with ocean freight as the cargo takes a relatively long time to reach its destination. </li></ul><p>Shipping lines and container leasing companies that own shipping containers may install advanced GPS tracking devices to their containers. These are built especially for ocean freight and work on an advanced GPS Container Tracking System which provides uninterrupted data about time, temperature, speed, latitude, longitude, shock reports, and battery information. You could choose to source containers from a company or shipping line that provides this. &nbsp;</p><p>‍<img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 2.png" alt="" width="300px"></p><h2><strong>Personal monitoring</strong> </h2><p>It is always possible to monitor your ocean or air cargo by travelling along with it or in the vessel or air carrier holding it. This will allow you to supervise your cargo personally and ensure it gets loaded and unloaded. The journey, however, could be uncomfortable, long, and tedious. </p><p>Alternatively, you can hire personnel specifically for this task or entrust it to a specialised agency. This method will allow you to monitor cargo up-close but is expensive, time-consuming, and not very practical. &nbsp; </p>

Best Ways to Track Your International Cargo 

<p>Today, despite the known benefits to the supply chain industry, industry leaders have little information on how real-time freight cargo tracking and visibility can give them a competitive edge. The supply chain is becoming rapidly complicated, this is due to the growing competition, and trade volumes, which has changed the traditional mindsets to accommodate the demands. To tackle this, shipping and transport companies need to integrate a real-time freight visibility component in their systems enabling them to get insights into the status and location of the freight.</p><p><a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></p><p>Let us discuss the reasons why freight visibility should be considered a top priority for the supply chain:</p><p><strong>1. Freight tracking is a business requirement</strong></p><p>The market’s view on freight tracking has significantly evolved over the course of past years. Earlier, simple methods such as track-and-trace were considered to be adequate to get insights. Now, such simple methods are no longer sufficient, as the manufacturers, stockists and the shippers want transparency. This is because the consumers’ demands have increased significantly and they want timely delivery of their merchandise. Business owners require a single-point holistic information dashboard, which has certain status checks. This would include arrival and departure time, pick-up and destination location and a real-time concrete GPS-enabled system.</p><p><strong>2. Insights are cost-saving</strong></p><p>The industry can reap multiple benefits from 100% freight visibility, as this enables them to adopt a more cost-efficient model. By using predictive analysis to manage shipments, the management can make more informed decisions, which in turn boosts productivity across the entire supply chain.</p><p><a href="https://app.cogoport.com/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></p><p><strong>3. Late Shipments have consequences</strong></p><p>A late shipment can have an unexpected ripple effect on the entire supply chain process. For example, a factory might have to halt or increase its production; or a retailer will have to manage with inventory shortage; a docking business might have to make its workers work on holidays or put in an overtime shift for when the shipment finally arrives. All of these situations can be avoided if there is a monitoring system in place that can provide timely updates on freight movement. This way all the parties involved can avoid hindrances in the supply chain.</p><p><strong>4. Competitive Marketplace</strong></p><p>An expanding and competitive market means that customers have more options than before. Customers expect shorter supply cycle and are less tolerant towards mistakes and delays. A report by Deloitte, a consulting firm, stated that sudden changes in demand by customers cause great disruption in the supply chain. To meet customer needs, businesses need a transparent supply chain which has a great flow of information. This will help develop consistency in identifying Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) and enforcing timelines.</p><p>Therefore, a transparent freight process is required for effective compliance with the regulatory policy. The laws and regulations keep getting updated or changed, and if goods get stuck at some point in the process due to regulatory issues – it is waste of time, energy, and money.</p><p><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-1.png" alt="" width="300px"></p><p>To sum up, analysis, information sharing, and decision-making along with freight visibility are essential to optimize the supply chain. This leads to lower chances of mistakes by eliminating inefficiencies and bottlenecks. This approach will not only better the supply chain today, but it will also enable the user to anticipate the future. This will improve demand forecasting, which lets the user know that when the demand is low or high. This results in faster delivery and less time taken to resolve issues.</p>

Freight Tracking: Change in the Shipping Industry

<p>Container tracking is a very important aspect of international trade which continues to give jitters to all, especially small and medium enterprises (SMEs). Information on cargo volumes is vital to optimize logistics, predict congestion at ports and container terminals, which will enable shipping lines to take a call on the best possible time and trade route. Amid this backdrop, learn how Cogoport, an Indian technology startup, can make life easy for traders and SMEs in their international trade journey by offering ocean shipment visibility platform with best-in-class attributes and features.</p><p><a href="https://api.whatsapp.com/message/N4CI7UNDFE2ZM1?autoload=1&amp;app_absent=0&amp;utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 3.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></p><h3><strong>Cogoport Shipment Tracking Platform</strong></h3><p>Unlike large corporates bestowed with financial muscle, SMEs have their own limitations, where Cogoport, a technology startup makes it easy for SMEs to track their shipments and lends a helping hand in growing their business internationally. With half a decade experience and counting more than 5 lakh containers shipped to 149 countries, Cogoport envisages to globalize Indian SMEs, accelerate their business, and use technology to provide better shipping services with solutions such as:</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Shipment Tracking</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Updates in Inbox</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Event Alerts</p><p>·&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;Expected Time of Arrival (To be launched soon)</p><h3><strong>Issues Faced With Shipment Tracking </strong></h3><p>Many exporters and importers are clueless as to what is the current status of their shipment? Is the container on the truck, if it is on the truck, where is the truck? How many states did the export consignment cross in a day? How far is the container terminal? How much more time to reach the port? How to track containers from your warehouse till they reach your client?</p><p>Most existing shipping lines in the world are yet to embrace common identical protocols for container tracking, leading to data flow gaps, and indecisiveness across the whole supply chain. Even the few shipping lines which embraced digitalization do not have all the processes in uniformity. One shipping line may say vessel departed while another may say vessel on board for the same event, adding to existing confusion. Similarly, every container traverses through many countries and continents from its home base, with so many data lags in its movement. </p><p>It is also a known fact that there no guarantee all the time that all the shipping containers booked by an exporter are stacked on the same shipping line as hedging is incorporated while booking space on shipping lines which leads containers to get scattered on different ocean carriers, further complicating their tracking. No wonder, digitalization and standardization of procedures and protocols could emerge as the next big thing to happen to the shipping industry after Malcolm McLean’s container innovation.</p><p><a href="https://app.cogoport.com/en-IN/?utm_source=web&amp;utm_medium=blog&amp;utm_campaign=general" target="_blank"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog-Banner-Portal-2.png" width="auto" style="width: auto; height: auto;"></a></p><h3><strong>How Cogoport Powers Shipment Tracking? </strong></h3><p>Cogoport puts an end to international traders’ anxiety by enabling them to track consignments from the time they depart their factory till the time they reach the destination. It is actively collaborating with the shipping lines which have embraced digitalization and those which did not to tap into their data as well as scour the internet for relevant data to merge them together and run data simulations to derive actionable insights for exporters and importers. </p><h4><strong>Container tracking across 30 shipping lines</strong></h4><p>Cogoport tracks containers on sea and land, containers stacked on major shipping lines such as Maersk, Hapag– Lloyd, CMA CGM, Zim, OOCL, MSC, Cosco, Evergreen and 15 others. As part of container tracking service, Cogoport has partnered with 30 shipping lines to tap as many as 86 ocean schedules. It takes seven minutes to track a container but Cogoport relays these results in real-time to customers. Powered by Cogoport, exporters and importers can track all their shipments at one place, including obtaining actionable analytics on all shipments to prioritize the best next action to focus more on what is needed the most. </p><p>Cogoport tracking service is standardized across all major carriers and includes inland haulage in India. This facility is available for 70% of the containers shipped through Cogoport as of now. Similarly, users can obtain time insights on containers in the event of long waiting periods at the port of origin. This enables users to offer crucial inputs in the ensuing next course of action during the shipment process as it helps in reducing the resultant demurrage and port charges. </p><figure class="w-richtext-figure-type-image w-richtext-align-normal" data-rt-type="image" data-rt-align="normal"><img src="https://cdn.cogoport.io/cms-prod/cogo_public/vault/original/Blog Banner WA 1.png" alt="" width="300px"></figure><h4><strong>Updates in inbox</strong></h4><p>Cogoport enables exporters and importers to receive updates right in their inbox, freeing them from the need to proactively check the status of each shipment. Users can set up "Status reports" for his shipment created through trackers by adding point of contact (POC) to whom he wishes to send status reports to. User can choose the shipments to include in status report for each POC and the frequency at which he/she wishes to receive those status reports - Weekly or daily, including the time of the day. Details included in the status report email (For every shipment) - current tracking event, upcoming tracking event, location, and time – inform the user whether the shipment is going according to schedule or deviating from it.</p><h4><strong>Alerts for important events</strong></h4><p>Users can also setup alerts for their important events, based on the milestones that are provided in tracking data. For each such set up, alerts that will be triggered when the event occurs. The alerts can be sent through multiple modes: to the platform, as a web notification and or through email. Three different alerts exist: </p><p>1. Regular alert, when the event just occurs as planned, i.e. happy alert</p><p>2. A deviation alert due to unforeseen delays that lead to deviation from original shipment schedule.</p><p>3. User can also enter Detention and Demurrage free days to configure alerts for free days ending. This will trigger a new kind of Alert - Risk of Deviation alert - sent just before the detention or demurrage free days are ending, to intimate customer that Detention / Demurred charges would be incurred afterwards. </p><h4><strong>Expected Time of Arrival (Launching Soon)</strong></h4><p>As part of a forthcoming feature, Cogoport aims to minimize delays and unexpected costs&nbsp;through&nbsp;predictive ETA, carrier cutoffs and deadlines, data on port congestion, and more to empower exporters and importers to foresee avoidable hindrances, including re-routing options to manage unavoidable exceptions. </p><p>To learn more about how Chinese data laws are stinging container tracking efforts and to understand the current state of shipment tracking in the industry.</p><p>To read the user manual of Cogoport Shipment Tracking Platform, read our next blog.</p><p>‍</p>

Coming Soon