Shipping line
ZIM container tracking
Track ZIM shipments by bill of lading, container, or booking number. Submit once and Terminal49 keeps the timeline current automatically — reconciling ZIM's feed with terminal, vessel, and rail data into one source of truth.
Country
Israel
Fleet
140 vessels
Capacity
600K TEU
Alliance
Standalone
Also known as
ZIM · ZIM Integrated Shipping Services Ltd.
Track a ZIM shipment
Paste any tracking number once. Terminal49 auto-detects the format and keeps the shipment current — no re-checking.
Or track on ZIM's own site
Accepts container, B/L and booking numbers; supports up to 10 references per query.
ZIM container tracking
Track an individual ZIM container by its ISO 6346 number (4-letter BIC prefix + 7 digits). Container number tracking: supported
ZIM container prefixes: ZIMU, ZCSU
See all carriers that accept container numbers →ZIM bill of lading tracking
Track a ZIM bill of lading number to follow every container booked under that contract. Best when you have a single document covering a multi-container shipment. Bill of lading tracking: supported
See all carriers that accept bills of lading →ZIM booking tracking
Track a ZIM booking number to monitor a shipment before the bill of lading has been issued. Useful for pre-loading visibility on spot-rate bookings. Booking number tracking: supported
See all carriers that accept booking numbers →About ZIM
Founded in 1945, headquartered in Haifa, part of ZIM, operates 140 vessels. Listed on the SMDG Liner Code registry as ZIM.
| CEO | Eli Glickman |
|---|---|
| Website | zim.com |
Other ZIM resources
Schedules and tariffs published on ZIM's own website.
Tracking number formats
ZIM uses three identifier types. Terminal49 accepts all of them and auto-detects which one you've pasted.
Bill of lading number
230123456
9–12 digit document number. Covers one or more containers under the same contract.
Container number
ZIMU1234567
Prefix (ZIMU, ZCSU) + 7 digits. ISO 6346 standard. Tracks a single physical box.
Booking number
M0123456
Pre-loading reservation ID. Useful for tracking shipments before a bill of lading has been issued.
ZIMU container tracking
ZIMU is ZIM's primary SCAC and one of the owner prefixes shown on ZIM containers. A complete container number has four letters followed by seven digits. The first six digits identify the individual box and the last digit is a mathematical check digit. Enter the complete number, with or without spaces, into the tracker above. If the number is rejected, compare every character with the equipment itself or the bill of lading. The letters I, O, and Q are not used in ISO 6346 owner codes, and a single mistyped character changes the check-digit result.
Worked format example
ZIMU1234569
Prefix + six-digit serial number + ISO 6346 check digit. This is an illustrative, correctly formatted number, not an active shipment.
ZCSU container tracking
ZCSU is another container prefix used by ZIM. Track it the same way as a ZIMU number: use all four letters, the six-digit serial, and the final check digit. Do not replace ZCSU with ZIMU when searching. The prefix is part of the equipment identity, so the tracking request must match the number printed on the container and shipping documents. If you only have a booking or bill of lading number, use that document number instead and Terminal49 will follow the containers associated with it when ZIM returns that relationship.
Worked format example
ZCSU6543216
Prefix + six-digit serial number + ISO 6346 check digit. This is an illustrative, correctly formatted number, not an active shipment.
ZIM tracking statuses in plain English
A transport milestone says what moved, not whether the cargo is cleared or ready for pickup. In particular, vessel arrived and vessel discharged are not the same as terminal availability. Use the sequence below to decide what to verify next. Terminal49 currently normalizes these ZIM transport milestones, along with estimated arrival updates, into a consistent timeline.
| Status | What it means | What to do next |
|---|---|---|
| Empty out | An empty container was released for loading at origin. | Confirm the empty pickup happened as planned. This is not confirmation that cargo has reached the port. |
| Full in | The loaded container was received at the origin terminal. | Check the planned vessel and cutoffs. A full-in container can still miss its intended sailing. |
| Vessel loaded | The container was loaded onto the named vessel. | Use the vessel departure event to confirm that the sailing actually began. |
| Vessel departed | The vessel left the port with the container aboard. | Share the current ETA with receiving teams, but treat it as a forecast until arrival is recorded. |
| Transshipment discharged / loaded | The container was taken off one vessel and loaded onto another at a connection port. | Watch for the second load and departure. A long gap between those events can signal a missed connection. |
| Vessel arrived | The vessel reached the destination port. | Arrival does not mean the container is ready. Wait for discharge and check the destination terminal for holds and availability. |
| Vessel discharged | The container was unloaded from the vessel at the destination port. | Confirm customs release, terminal holds, availability, appointment requirements, and last free day before dispatching a truck. |
| Full out | The loaded import container left the terminal. | Record pickup completion and begin monitoring the empty-equipment return deadline in the applicable agreement. |
| Empty returned | The empty container was returned after unloading. | Keep the interchange receipt in case the equipment return time is disputed. |
ZIM free time, last free day, and demurrage
Free time is the allowed period before specified charges begin. The last free day (LFD) is the final day in that period. For imports, teams normally compare the discharge time, terminal availability, holds, appointment access, and the LFD before assigning pickup. After pickup, a separate equipment-return clock may apply.
ZIM's public U.S. rules state that demurrage and detention are assessed after the relevant free time. The exact allowance and charge can depend on the applicable tariff, quotation, service contract, port, equipment, and dates. That is why this page does not publish a generic daily rate. Check ZIM's U.S. demurrage and detention practices and its official calculator for the shipment-specific estimate and governing terms.
Practical demurrage-risk check
- Confirm the container was discharged, not merely that the vessel arrived.
- Verify customs release, carrier release, terminal holds, and pickup availability.
- Confirm the LFD and appointment availability directly with the terminal.
- Escalate any blocked interchange before the deadline and keep written evidence.
What to do when a ZIM container has a hold
Start by identifying who controls the hold. A customs or government examination must be handled with the customs broker and relevant agency. A carrier hold can require payment, original-document release, or another action from ZIM. A terminal hold can relate to local fees, appointments, or operating requirements. The ocean milestone feed alone may not show the release needed for pickup, so do not dispatch from a discharged status by itself.
Give the broker, forwarder, terminal, and drayage provider the same container number, bill-of-lading reference, terminal, hold owner, and LFD. Ask for the exact release still missing and who must provide it. If the hold prevents pickup as free time expires, preserve screenshots, emails, appointment attempts, and interchange information for any later dispute. Continue monitoring the timeline because a release and a terminal availability update can arrive at different times.
U.S. terminals used by ZIM
ZIM's public frequently used U.S. FIRMS-code list identifies the facilities below. Terminal assignments change by service, vessel, and booking, so confirm the destination terminal on the current arrival notice before making an appointment.
ZIM tracking for forwarders and 3PLs
Logistics service providers rarely track one box at a time. Terminal49 supports shipment and container dashboards, bulk upload, direct API tracking requests, and webhook updates. The API uses the same normalized milestone structure across ZIM and other supported carriers, so a TMS does not need a separate status model for each line. Webhooks can pass milestone changes into an existing TMS, ERP, customer portal, or exception queue instead of making operators recheck carrier websites.
A useful exception workflow is specific: flag a ZIM container when an ETA changes, a transshipment discharge has no following load, discharge occurs without a pickup plan, or the box remains at the terminal as LFD approaches. Keep carrier transport events and terminal release facts distinct. That makes the alert explain what changed and which party needs to act.
Cargo owners and shippers
Follow ZIM milestones in one dashboard, then use the linked terminal page to check availability, holds, fees, and LFD where that terminal provides them.
Track for freeForwarders and 3PLs
Review the request, response, and webhook model before connecting normalized ZIM events to your operating system.
Read the API docsTrack other ocean carriers
Use the same workflow when a shipment moves with another line. Each carrier page lists the supported identifiers, prefixes, official resources, and Terminal49 data coverage.
Data coverage
Every milestone and attribute Terminal49 normalizes for ZIM — the carrier feed plus terminal, vessel, and rail sources, reconciled into one timeline. Track once; it stays current, refreshed every 4 hours.
Core transport milestones
12/13- Empty OutSupported
- Empty ReturnedSupported
- Full InSupported
- Full OutSupported
- Transshipment ArrivedSupported
- Transshipment DepartedSupported
- Transshipment DischargedSupported
- Transshipment LoadedSupported
- Vessel ArrivedSupported
- Vessel DepartedSupported
- Vessel DischargedSupported
- Vessel LoadedSupported
- Vessel BerthedUnsupported
Extended transport milestones
5/11- Feeder DischargedSupported
- Rail ArrivedSupported
- Rail DepartedSupported
- Rail LoadedSupported
- Rail UnloadedSupported
- Arrived At DestinationUnsupported
- DeliveredUnsupported
- Estimated Arrival at Final DestinationUnsupported
- Feeder ArrivedUnsupported
- Feeder DepartedUnsupported
- Feeder LoadedUnsupported
Container list
9/12- Destination Full Out AtSupported
- Empty Terminated AtSupported
- Equipment HeightSupported
- Equipment LengthSupported
- Equipment TypeSupported
- NumberSupported
- POD Arrived AtSupported
- POD Discharged AtSupported
- POD Full Out AtSupported
- Destination Arrived AtUnsupported
- Seal NumberUnsupported
- WeightUnsupported
Port of lading (POL)
5/5- POL ATDSupported
- POL ETDSupported
- POL LocodeSupported
- POL NameSupported
- POL TimezoneSupported
Port of discharge (POD)
8/9- POD ATASupported
- POD ETASupported
- POD LocodeSupported
- POD NameSupported
- POD TimezoneSupported
- POD Vessel IMOSupported
- POD Vessel NameSupported
- POD Voyage NumberSupported
- POD TerminalUnsupported
Final destination
5/5- Destination ATASupported
- Destination ETASupported
- Destination LocodeSupported
- Destination NameSupported
- Destination TimezoneSupported
Other events
1/2- Estimated ArrivalSupported
- Booking CancelledUnsupported
Document types
3/3- Bill Of LadingSupported
- Booking NumberSupported
- Container NumberSupported
ZIM tracking FAQ
- How do I track a ZIM shipment?
- Paste your ZIM container number, bill of lading number, or booking number into the tracker on this page — once. Terminal49 auto-detects the format, then keeps the shipment current automatically by reconciling the carrier's own feed, vessels, and rail carriers into one timeline. Tracking is free and refreshes roughly every 4 hours, so you never re-check a carrier site.
- What is ZIM's SCAC code?
- ZIM's primary SCAC (Standard Carrier Alpha Code) is ZIMU. ZIM containers carry the ZIMU, ZCSU prefixes.
- Can I track a ZIM bill of lading number?
- Yes. Terminal49 tracks ZIM bill of lading numbers and follows every container booked under that document. Individual container numbers are supported too, and so are booking numbers.
- How often is ZIM tracking data updated?
- You track ZIM once — Terminal49 then keeps the data current automatically, refreshing roughly every 4 hours by reconciling the carrier's own feed, vessels, and rail carriers into one timeline so the status stays accurate end to end without you re-checking.
API & webhooks
Every field on this page is available through the Terminal49 REST API and webhook payloads. Same shape, every carrier.
Read the API docs →
