Tool · carrier codes
Which carrier issued my Bill of Lading?
The first four letters of a Bill of Lading number are the issuing carrier's code. Paste a number, or just its prefix, to identify the shipping line; Evergreen (EGLV) numbers can be tracked straight away.
Reading a Bill of Lading number
The letters are the carrier's SCAC-style code and the digits that follow are the carrier's own document number, usually nine to twelve of them. Some carriers print the number without the letters on the document itself.
A container number is a different thing: four letters and seven digits that identify one physical box, which can travel under many Bills of Lading over its life. Its letters are the owner code registered with the BIC plus the category letter U (MSKU for a Maersk-owned box, for example): they name who owns the container, not the line carrying it. A booking number is the reservation reference issued before the Bill of Lading and is usually a different number again.
Carrier prefixes & container owner codes
| B/L prefix (SCAC) | Container prefix (BIC owner code) | Carrier | Also known as | Tracking |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| APLU | — | APL | — | reference |
| CMDU | — | CMA CGM | CMA | reference |
| COSU | CSNU | COSCO | — | reference |
| EGLV | EGHU / EGSU / EMCU / EISU | Evergreen | Evergreen Line, Evergreen Marine, EMC | Open |
| HDMU | HDMU | HMM | Hyundai Merchant Marine | reference |
| SUDU | — | Hamburg Süd | — | reference |
| HLCU | HLXU / HLCU | Hapag-Lloyd | Hapag Lloyd | reference |
| MSCU / MEDU | MSCU / MEDU | MSC | — | reference |
| MAEU | MSKU / MRKU / MAEU | Maersk | — | reference |
| OOLU | OOLU | OOCL | — | reference |
| ONEY | — | Ocean Network Express | ONE | reference |
| PCIU | PCIU | PIL | Pacific International Lines | reference |
| WHLC | — | Wan Hai | — | reference |
| YMLU | YMLU | Yang Ming | — | reference |
| ZIMU | ZIMU | ZIM | — | reference |
Frequently asked questions
- What do the letters at the start of a Bill of Lading number mean?
- The first four letters identify the ocean carrier that issued the Bill of Lading — its SCAC-style code. EGLV is Evergreen, MAEU is Maersk, MSCU is MSC, COSU is COSCO, HLCU is Hapag-Lloyd, OOLU is OOCL and CMDU is CMA CGM. The digits that follow are the carrier's own document number.
- How is a Bill of Lading number different from a container number or booking number?
- A Bill of Lading number identifies the shipping contract and covers every container on it; its four-letter prefix is the issuing carrier's SCAC-style code, such as EGLV for Evergreen. A container number identifies one physical box (four letters, seven digits, ISO 6346) and can move under many Bills of Lading over its life; its letters are the owner code registered with the BIC plus the category letter U, such as MSKU for a Maersk-owned box, and name the owner of the box rather than the line carrying it. A booking number is the carrier's reference for the reservation before the Bill of Lading is issued, and is usually a different number.
- How long is a Bill of Lading number?
- Usually the four-letter carrier prefix followed by nine to twelve digits, for example an Evergreen number such as EGLV followed by twelve digits. Some carriers print the number without the prefix on the document itself; bexy accepts it with or without the letters.
- Can I track a shipment with just the Bill of Lading number?
- Yes, for Evergreen (EGLV) Bills of Lading. Paste the number into bexy and the tracking page shows the vessel and voyage, every port milestone, the estimated departure and arrival and the status of each container — free, with no login. Other carriers' prefixes are identified here for reference, but bexy does not track their shipments.