Tracking · COSCO and OOCL
COSCO and OOCL tracking: how to track a container by its number
· 4 min read · Flettia team
If your container number starts with OOLU, COSU, CSNU, CBHU, OOCU, it belongs to COSCO and OOCL. That number is all you need to know where it is going, when it arrives and which moves it has made, without opening the carrier's portal. This guide sums up what is specific to COSCO and OOCL: its prefixes, how it publishes its data and what to look for on the timeline.
Who COSCO and OOCL is and which prefixes it uses
COSCO Shipping Lines and OOCL belong to the same group (COSCO Shipping) and share a tracking system: an OOLU or OOCU container is looked up in the same place as a COSU one, and the tracker labels it as OOCL. Both are common on direct imports from China into Latin America.
COSCO and OOCL container prefixes: OOLU, COSU, CSNU, CBHU, OOCU. The four letters are the owner code registered with the BIC; that is why the tracker infers the carrier without you choosing it.
COSCO and OOCL container tracking in three steps
- Go to tracker.flettia.com and type the full number: four letters and seven digits. If the check digit doesn't add up, it warns you before searching.
- The tracker recognises the COSCO and OOCL prefix and queries its data.
- You see the route on the map, the current status, the estimated or actual arrival date at the final port and the timeline with normalised milestones: loaded on board, departure, arrival, discharge and gate out.
How COSCO and OOCL publishes its data
- COSCO publishes the container's events with their date and location. The tracker translates COSCO's event names into the same vocabulary it uses for the other carriers.
- For OOCL, the data comes from COSCO's system and is relabelled as OOCL: you see the right carrier even though the source is shared.
- If COSCO does not recognise the number, the tracker says so. Check that it is the container (eleven characters) and not the booking or BL number.
What to watch
Two dates matter more than the rest: discharge at the destination port, where free days usually start counting, and gate out, which confirms the container is on a truck. Seeing them the day they happen lets you schedule pickup before demurrage runs. Exact free time depends on your contract with the carrier and on the port.
Estimated dates are published by the carrier and can change with the vessel schedule. The tracker shows the latest one published; it does not promise it will hold.
Frequently asked questions
Is an OOCL container tracked through COSCO's portal?
Yes, it is the group's shared system. In the tracker you type the number and it comes out labelled as OOCL.
Is CBHU a COSCO prefix?
Yes. COSU, CSNU and CBHU are COSCO prefixes; OOLU and OOCU belong to OOCL.
Can I track with the BL or booking number?
Not today. The tracker searches by container number; the BL lists the container numbers in the “Container No.” field.
Track your COSCO and OOCL container now
Your first search is free, no sign-up. Type the number and we tell you where it is going: route on a map, status, arrival date and every move.