# Maersk API: Track a container or shipment

> Tracks a Maersk ocean container or shipment by container, bill of lading or booking number. Returns container milestones, vessel details and estimated arrival, with times in the local time of each location when its time zone can be identified.

Unofficial. Not affiliated with or endorsed by Maersk.

- Page: https://fous.com/methods/maersk.com/track-container
- Method: `maersk.com/track_container`, version 1
- Website: maersk.com
- Returns: origin, final destination, containers with status, last location, vessel, voyage, ETA and events
- Effect: read (it gets data and changes nothing)
- Sign-in: none needed
- Cost: 1 credit per completed run (1¢ with pay as you go); failed runs are free
- Verified: Nov 2, 2026

## Inputs

| Field | Type | Required | In the run below | Description |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| `reference` | string | yes | `"276211578"` | Container number, bill of lading number or booking number, for example MSKU0235187 or 276211578. |

## Output

From a run on Oct 31, 2026, shortened. Its input:

```json
{
  "reference": "276211578"
}
```

Its output:

```json
{
  "origin": {
    "city": "Shanghai",
    "country": "China"
  },
  "reference": "276211578",
  "containers": [
    {
      "events": [
        {
          "event": "Gate out empty",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-17T23:49:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Gate in",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-25T14:45:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Loaded on vessel",
          "vessel": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-28T04:03:00+08:00"
        }
      ],
      "voyage": "637W",
      "vessel_name": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
      "size_and_type": "40 ft high cube dry",
      "tracking_link": "https://www.maersk.com/tracking/276211578",
      "current_status": "Vessel departure",
      "last_known_time": "2026-09-28T23:12:00+08:00",
      "container_number": "MIEU4025382",
      "estimated_arrival": "2026-11-16T06:00:00+01:00",
      "last_known_location": "Shanghai, China"
    },
    {
      "events": [
        {
          "event": "Gate out empty",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-17T21:12:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Gate in",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-25T14:28:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Loaded on vessel",
          "vessel": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-28T03:05:00+08:00"
        }
      ],
      "voyage": "637W",
      "vessel_name": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
      "size_and_type": "40 ft high cube dry",
      "tracking_link": "https://www.maersk.com/tracking/276211578",
      "current_status": "Vessel departure",
      "last_known_time": "2026-09-28T23:12:00+08:00",
      "container_number": "MIEU4031127",
      "estimated_arrival": "2026-11-16T06:00:00+01:00",
      "last_known_location": "Shanghai, China"
    },
    {
      "events": [
        {
          "event": "Gate out empty",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-18T05:51:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Gate in",
          "vessel": null,
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-25T14:18:00+08:00"
        },
        {
          "event": "Loaded on vessel",
          "vessel": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
          "location": "Shanghai, China",
          "date_time": "2026-09-28T04:43:00+08:00"
        }
      ],
      "voyage": "637W",
      "vessel_name": "BRUSSELS EXPRESS",
      "size_and_type": "40 ft high cube dry",
      "tracking_link": "https://www.maersk.com/tracking/276211578",
      "current_status": "Vessel departure",
      "last_known_time": "2026-09-28T23:12:00+08:00",
      "container_number": "MIEU4225009",
      "estimated_arrival": "2026-11-16T06:00:00+01:00",
      "last_known_location": "Shanghai, China"
    }
  ],
  "tracking_link": "https://www.maersk.com/tracking/276211578",
  "final_destination": {
    "city": "Belgrade",
    "country": "Serbia"
  }
}
```

## Run it

From code, with a Fous API key in `FOUS_API_KEY`; the answer's `data` holds the output:

```bash
curl https://api.fous.com/v1/runs \
  -H "Authorization: Bearer $FOUS_API_KEY" \
  -H "Content-Type: application/json" \
  -d '{"method":"maersk.com/track_container","input":{"reference":"276211578"}}'
```

From an AI agent connected to the Fous MCP server: its `run` with the same method and input. To connect one, give it `set up https://fous.com/SKILL.md`.

## Ask your agent

- Where is container MRKU4471023 right now and when is it expected to arrive?
- Can you check the status of Maersk bill of lading 254893716 and tell me the vessel and voyage?
- I need the latest milestones for booking number 231775904 — has it been loaded or discharged yet?
- Look up shipment MSKU7726514 on maersk.com and give me the ETA at the final destination in local time.
- What's the last known location and event history for container TCLU3098265 shipped from Ningbo?

## Input schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "reference"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "reference": {
      "type": "string",
      "examples": [
        "MSKU0235187",
        "276211578"
      ],
      "minLength": 1,
      "description": "Container number, bill of lading number or booking number, for example MSKU0235187 or 276211578."
    }
  }
}
```

## Output schema

```json
{
  "type": "object",
  "required": [
    "reference",
    "origin",
    "final_destination",
    "containers",
    "tracking_link"
  ],
  "properties": {
    "origin": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "city",
        "country"
      ],
      "properties": {
        "city": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "country": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        }
      }
    },
    "reference": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "containers": {
      "type": "array",
      "items": {
        "type": "object",
        "required": [
          "container_number",
          "size_and_type",
          "current_status",
          "last_known_location",
          "last_known_time",
          "vessel_name",
          "voyage",
          "estimated_arrival",
          "events",
          "tracking_link"
        ],
        "properties": {
          "events": {
            "type": "array",
            "items": {
              "type": "object",
              "required": [
                "date_time",
                "location",
                "event",
                "vessel"
              ],
              "properties": {
                "event": {
                  "type": [
                    "string",
                    "null"
                  ]
                },
                "vessel": {
                  "type": [
                    "string",
                    "null"
                  ]
                },
                "location": {
                  "type": [
                    "string",
                    "null"
                  ]
                },
                "date_time": {
                  "type": [
                    "string",
                    "null"
                  ]
                }
              }
            }
          },
          "voyage": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "vessel_name": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "size_and_type": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "tracking_link": {
            "type": "string"
          },
          "current_status": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "last_known_time": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "container_number": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "estimated_arrival": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          },
          "last_known_location": {
            "type": [
              "string",
              "null"
            ]
          }
        }
      }
    },
    "tracking_link": {
      "type": "string"
    },
    "final_destination": {
      "type": "object",
      "required": [
        "city",
        "country"
      ],
      "properties": {
        "city": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        },
        "country": {
          "type": [
            "string",
            "null"
          ]
        }
      }
    }
  }
}
```

## See more

- [VesselFinder API: Get vessel location](https://fous.com/methods/vesselfinder.com/get-vessel-location.md): Finds a ship on VesselFinder by name, IMO or MMSI and returns its public position, voyage and vessel details.
- [UPS API: Track package](https://fous.com/methods/ups.com/track-package.md): Tracks a UPS package by tracking number, with its status, delivery details and shipment history when available.
- [Freightos API: Get container freight rates](https://fous.com/methods/freightos.com/get-container-freight-rates.md): Returns the latest public weekly Freightos Baltic Index (FBX) price per 40-foot container for one trade lane, or for the global composite and all twelve lanes.
- [FlightAware API: Check flight status](https://fous.com/methods/flightaware.com/check-flight-status.md): Checks the public FlightAware status of an airline flight (airline name or code plus number) on a departure date, by default today at the departure airport: airports, scheduled, estimated and actual gate times in local time, delays, gates, terminals, aircraft and distance. A date older than FlightAware's public two-week list is looked up on the flight's history page when FlightAware still shows it.
- [Flightradar24 API: Check flight status](https://fous.com/methods/flightradar24.com/check-flight-status.md): Checks a flight's public status and times on Flightradar24 by flight number and the departure date at the origin airport.
- [Mercari API: Search listings](https://fous.com/methods/mercari.com/search-listings.md): Searches Mercari US listings for items for sale or sold, with condition, price and sorting filters, and adds seller, size and shipping details from each item page. Sold prices are displayed listing prices.
- [USPS API: Estimate postage](https://fous.com/methods/usps.com/estimate-postage.md): Estimates domestic USPS Post Office retail postage between two ZIP Codes for a letter, large envelope, package or flat-rate packaging, by weight and mailing date. Media Mail is left out; a zero-weight letter counts as one ounce. Prices are retail, cheapest first, with each service's estimated delivery.
- [FlixBus API: Search bus trips](https://fous.com/methods/flixbus.com/search-bus-trips.md): Finds dated FlixBus trip options between two cities, with stops, local times, availability and displayed per-person prices, including partner operators on some routes.