Track & Trace

DCSA and its member carriers have published track and trace (T&T) standards for the global container shipping industry. These standards comprise a common set of processes as well as data and interface standards that can be implemented by carriers, shippers and third parties to enable cross-carrier shipment tracking. Once implemented, the standards will enable customers and supply chain participants to digitally communicate with all carriers in a unified way.

The data model ensures track and trace data definitions are consistent for all users, leveraging any system. These definitions are based on the Industry Blueprint, published by DCSA and its carrier members in 2019, which established a consistent vocabulary and proposed current state standards for industry processes.

The T&T container tracking standards are also aligned with the UN/CEFACT (United Nations Centre for Trade Facilitation and Electronic Business) standards to ensure existing investments are preserved while streamlining communication among all supply chain participants.

As part of the Track & Trace standard, DCSA has also published API definitions for the Track & Trace on SwaggerHub, an open–source API development platform. Carriers can use these definitions to rapidly implement DCSA standard-compliant APIs for customer-facing track and trace events.
Documentation on the Track & Trace standard, including versioning guidance, can also be found on GitHub.

On the Standard Overview Page, you can see which carriers have already implemented DCSA’s Track & Trace API.

Download the Track & Trace publication below to see recommended standards for track and trace across five general shipment phases: Pre-shipment, pre-ocean, ocean, post-ocean and post shipment. Through the use of these standards, customers will be able to track containers across all nine carriers and five shipping phases with uninterrupted visibility.