A bill of lading (B/L) is the document a carrier issues to acknowledge receipt of cargo. It serves three roles: a receipt for the goods, the contract of carriage, and — for a negotiable B/L — a document of title that can transfer ownership of the cargo.
You can track an ocean shipment by its bill-of-lading number as well as by container number.
Demurrage & detention · DCSA Track & Trace · Container number (ISO 6346) · Transshipment · UN/LOCODE