Why these three carriers matter for SA importers
MSC (Mediterranean Shipping Company), Maersk, and CMA CGM together operate the majority of containerised cargo arriving at South African ports. They call at Durban (the largest port in Africa by volume), Cape Town, Port Elizabeth (Gqeberha), and East London. If you are importing from Asia, Europe, or the Americas into South Africa, there is a high probability your cargo is on one of these three lines. Understanding each carrier's tracking system — and its limitations at Durban — is one of the most practical skills an SA importer can have.
MSC: tracking your container on myMSC.com
MSC is the world's largest container carrier by fleet size and is the dominant line into Durban for many SA commodity importers. Tracking is available without an account.
How to track:
- Go to mymsc.com and click "Track" in the top navigation bar.
- Select either "Bill of Lading" or "Container Number" from the drop-down.
- Enter the reference. MSC Bill of Lading numbers are typically 9 characters starting with letters (e.g. MSCUA1234567 or a numeric string). Container numbers follow ISO 6346: four letters ending in U, J, or Z, followed by six digits and one check digit (e.g. MSCU1234567).
- The results page shows: current status, vessel name, voyage number, port of discharge (e.g. Durban, ZADUR), and ETA.
- To register for email alerts, click "Subscribe" or "Get Updates" on the tracking result page and enter your email.
MSC also offers myMSC customer portal for registered importers — this provides a shipment list view, document downloads (B/L drafts, arrival notices), and more granular event history. Registration is free.
Maersk: tracking on maersk.com
Maersk has invested heavily in its digital platform and offers one of the most detailed shipment tracking portals in the industry. SA importers benefit from Maersk's Maersk.com/tracking page, which provides live milestone events.
How to track:
- Go to maersk.com and click "Track a Shipment" from the main menu, or go directly to maersk.com/tracking.
- Enter your Bill of Lading number, booking number, or container number in the search box. Maersk B/L numbers are typically all-numeric (e.g. 785432100). Container numbers start with MAEU or MSKU.
- The tracker returns a milestone timeline: origin stuffing, vessel departure, any transhipment events, ETA at port of discharge, and actual discharge date if the vessel has arrived.
- For email alerts: create a free Maersk.com account, save the shipment to "My Shipments", and configure notifications. Maersk sends alerts for ETA changes, vessel departure, discharge, and container availability.
Maersk's platform also shows ETA change history — you can see if the ETA has slipped and by how many days. This is particularly useful for Durban-bound cargo where ETAs often shift due to anchorage queuing. If you see multiple ETA revisions on a single voyage, the vessel is likely waiting at anchor.
Maersk operates the Shoalwater Bay, Saldhana Bay, Seaboard Express and other services from Asia, Europe, and the Americas into Durban and Cape Town. Their South Africa-specific services are listed on maersk.com/local-information/africa/south-africa/.
CMA CGM: tracking on cma-cgm.com
CMA CGM is the world's third-largest container carrier and is a major operator of the Africa-Europe and Asia-Africa trade lanes, including into Durban and Cape Town.
How to track:
- Go to cma-cgm.com and click "Track & Trace" in the navigation menu.
- Enter your B/L number, container number, or booking number. CMA CGM B/L numbers often contain letters followed by numbers (e.g. CGM1234567 or FBL1234567). Container numbers start with CMAU, CGMU, or APLU.
- Results show: vessel name and voyage, current location or port, and ETA at the port of discharge.
- For alert subscriptions: the CMA CGM portal offers email notifications — register a free account and enable alerts from the "My Shipments" section.
CMA CGM also operates ANL, APL, and Mercosul Line under its group umbrella — cargo on these brands can often also be tracked on the CMA CGM portal using the B/L number, though some brands have their own tracking pages as well.
What carrier ETAs do not tell you about Durban
This is arguably the most important section for any SA importer. Carrier ETAs show the vessel's estimated arrival at the port — but Durban's operational challenges mean the gap between vessel arrival and container availability can be enormous.
| What ETA shows | What ETA does not show |
|---|---|
| Scheduled vessel arrival at Durban port | How long the vessel will wait at anchor before berthing |
| Revised ETA if vessel has been delayed at sea | Berth allocation delays due to TPT terminal congestion |
| Port of discharge (Durban = ZADUR) | Equipment shortages (cranes, straddle carriers) affecting discharge speed |
| Vessel name and voyage so you can cross-check AIS | SARS inspection holds or customs stops |
| Whether the vessel has departed origin | Demurrage clock status or how many free days remain |
Durban ranked 403rd out of 403 ports in the World Bank / S&P Global Container Port Performance Index 2024. Cape Town ranked 400th. These are not rounding errors — they reflect genuine, structural operational challenges: aging equipment, labour disputes, and infrastructure congestion that make even a vessel that arrives exactly on schedule routinely take days longer to discharge and release cargo than a comparable port in Asia or Europe would.
Durban's anchorage off the Bluff is chronically congested. Vessels arriving on schedule may wait 2–5 days at anchor before a berth is allocated. During peak periods or after Transnet labour disruptions the wait can exceed a week. The carrier's portal ETA is not updated to reflect anchorage wait time — it shows the vessel as "at Durban" even while anchored at sea. Your planning must account for this.
Quick-reference: carrier tracking portals and identifier formats
| Carrier | Tracking URL | B/L format (example) | Container prefix |
|---|---|---|---|
| MSC | mymsc.com → Track | MSCUA1234567 | MSCU, MEDU |
| Maersk | maersk.com/tracking | 785432100 | MAEU, MSKU, TRLU |
| CMA CGM | cma-cgm.com → Track & Trace | CGM1234567 | CMAU, CGMU, APLU |
| Hapag-Lloyd | hapag-lloyd.com → Tracking | HLCU1234567 | HLCU, UACU |
| Evergreen | evergreen-line.com → Cargo Tracking | EGHU1234567 | EGHU, EISU, EMCU |
Augmenting carrier tracking with AIS vessel data
When carrier portal ETAs go stale, the vessel's AIS (Automatic Identification System) position gives you real-world data. Once you have the vessel name from your carrier tracking result, go to MarineTraffic.com or VesselFinder.com and search for the vessel. The map shows its current GPS position, speed, and heading.
If the vessel is showing as anchored in the roadstead off Durban (approximately 29.8° S, 31.1° E) with a speed of zero knots, it is waiting for a berth. This means your carrier's portal ETA is likely to slip further. Alert your clearing agent and haulier so they are not surprised by the delay.
AIS data is free on both MarineTraffic and VesselFinder. Paid tiers give additional voyage history, but the free tier is sufficient for live position checks.
Stop switching between five carrier portals
Real-View SCM aggregates MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM and other carriers into one SA-focused dashboard, flags Durban anchorage delays, and sends demurrage clock alerts before your free days run out.
Explore Real-View SCM →Frequently asked questions
The carrier shows my container as "Discharged" but my clearing agent says it is not available — why?
Discharge is recorded in the carrier's system when the container leaves the vessel. It still needs to be transported within the terminal to a position where the truck can access it, and the carrier release (linked to B/L surrender and freight payment) must be confirmed. At busy Durban terminals, a container can show as discharged but take another 24–72 hours to become physically accessible. Your clearing agent is the right point of contact — they can query the terminal's system for the actual pickup availability.
MSC says the vessel is at Durban but my cargo shows no update — is that normal?
Yes, this is common. "At Durban" in the carrier's system often means the vessel has arrived in the port area — which includes the anchorage — not that it has berthed. MSC's tracking events typically only update when the container is physically moved (discharged, gate-out), not during the vessel's anchorage wait. No update for 24–48 hours after vessel arrival is normal during congestion periods.
Is Maersk's tracking more accurate than MSC's for Durban?
Maersk generally provides more milestone detail and shows ETA change history, which is useful for identifying when and by how much a delay has occurred. Neither carrier's portal reflects the Durban anchorage queue delay in real time, however. For actual discharge and availability timing, your port agent or forwarder with live terminal access is the most reliable source.
Can I track by booking number instead of B/L number?
Usually yes. All three carriers allow tracking by booking reference, though the B/L number is more stable once cargo is loaded. Booking numbers are assigned before loading; B/L numbers are issued after. For in-transit shipments the B/L number is preferred because it confirms the cargo was actually loaded.
My shipment is transhipping at a hub like Singapore or Salalah — how does this affect my ETA?
The carrier tracking will show an intermediate "At transhipment port" milestone. The connecting vessel at the hub will have its own ETA at Durban. If the connecting vessel misses its slot at the hub, a new connection must be arranged and the Durban ETA will extend. Transhipment delays are a common reason for ETA slippage that is entirely separate from Durban port conditions — the problem starts thousands of kilometres before South Africa.
Related guides
Sources: World Bank / S&P Global Container Port Performance Index 2024; Transnet National Ports Authority; carrier tracking portals (MSC, Maersk, CMA CGM). ETAs and port conditions change — always confirm with your freight forwarder or clearing agent. Last updated June 2026.