Tracking · MSC
MSC tracking: how to track a container by its number
· 4 min read · Flettia team
If your container number starts with MEDU, MSCU, MSDU, it belongs to MSC. 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 MSC: its prefixes, how it publishes its data and what to look for on the timeline.
Who MSC is and which prefixes it uses
MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company) operates the world's largest container fleet and is one of the most used lines for imports from Asia and Europe into Latin America. Its containers carry the MSCU, MEDU and MSDU prefixes.
MSC container prefixes: MEDU, MSCU, MSDU. The four letters are the owner code registered with the BIC; that is why the tracker infers the carrier without you choosing it.
MSC 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 MSC 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 MSC publishes its data
- MSC publishes its event dates without a time of day, only the date. To count free days on an MSC container, count from the discharge date, not the hour, and confirm the cut-off with the terminal.
- MSC identifies locations with the port's UN/LOCODE (for example CLSAI for San Antonio). The tracker translates it into the port name and places it on the map.
- MSC does not number its events: it presents them in order. So when an event's date changes, you will see a new date on the same milestone, not an extra event.
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
Why do MSC events have no time of day?
Because the carrier publishes them that way. The tracker shows what MSC delivers; it does not make up hours.
Is MEDU an MSC prefix?
Yes. MEDU and MSDU are MSC owner prefixes, just like MSCU.
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 MSC 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.