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Which reference numbers does Dockflow accept?

Dockflow tracks a shipment by container number, bill of lading, or booking number. Which one you supply changes what the carrier returns, and a reference in the wrong shape is a common reason a shipment does not track.

The references​

ReferenceShapeNotes
Container4 letters + 7 digits, 11 charactersThe only reference with a fixed, checkable format. The 4th letter is always U, J or Z. The last digit is a check digit.
Bill of lading (B/L)varies by carrierDigits, or a carrier prefix followed by digits, for example MAEU123456789.
Bookingvaries by carrierOften the same shape as that carrier's B/L.
House B/Lvaries by forwarderIssued by a forwarder rather than the carrier. See below - a house B/L on its own is usually not trackable.
Your own referencewhatever your organisation usesCarried through from your upload or API push, and searchable alongside the others.

Telling a container number from a B/L​

Only the container number has a fixed format, so the practical rule is:

If it is not exactly 4 letters followed by 7 digits, it is not a container number.

That one test resolves most confusion, because carriers and portals frequently show a B/L with the carrier's four-letter code in front of it, which makes it look like a container.

Example. MAEU123456789 is four letters and nine digits. It is not a container number. It is a carrier code in front of a B/L, and it should be supplied as a B/L.

Two shapes that are still container numbers:

  • Written with the check digit separated, for example AFLU100478/8 or AFLU 100478 8. Same number, different punctuation. Send it as AFLU1004788.
  • With spaces, for example MSKU 123456 7. Remove the spaces.

Shapes that are not container numbers: 10 or 12 characters, a 4th letter that is not U, J or Z, or letters inside the numeric part.

tip

If a reference does not match the container shape, supply it as a B/L or booking rather than correcting it. Do not add or remove characters to make it fit.

Which reference to send​

If you have more than one, they are not equivalent.

  • Container number is the most reliable. Some carriers answer well at container level and poorly at B/L level, and a container number keeps tracking alive when a B/L is not yet released.
  • B/L or booking gives the fuller picture when the carrier supports it.
  • Send both when you have both. That is the combination that works with the widest set of carriers. See supported carriers for what a given carrier publishes at each level.

House B/L​

A house B/L is issued by a forwarder, not by the carrier, so the carrier does not recognise it and cannot return tracking against it. On an import shipment where the house B/L is the reference you were given, send the container number, and the master B/L or booking if you have it. Keep your house B/L as your own reference so you can still search on it.

What happens when you send a B/L or booking​

By default, Dockflow tracks every container the carrier reports under that reference, not only the ones you listed. Upload a B/L with one container and a shipment with ten containers will show ten.

That is usually what you want. If it is not, tick "Do not import unknown containers from booking and B/Ls" under Power Settings -> Organisation, and Dockflow will track only the containers you supply. It is off by default and you can change it yourself. Note that it filters containers coming from the carrier - containers you send yourself, by upload or over the API, are always kept.

See unexpected or missing containers on a B/L for what to do when the result does not look right.

When a reference is not recognised​

A correctly shaped reference can still be unknown to the carrier. That is a different problem, and it is covered in no tracking data.

The quickest separation: check the reference on the carrier's own tracking page. If it returns nothing there either, the reference is the problem rather than the platform.

Need help?​

  • Email support - [email protected]
  • In-app chat - click the chat icon in the bottom right

Last updated: August 17, 2026