ACL bill of lading tracking

How to read an ACL bill of lading number

ACLU4655696 example only — not a real shipment

A bill of lading number identifies the transport document, not the box: it usually starts with the carrier’s four-letter code (its SCAC) — ACLU for ACL — followed by the document number, e.g. ACLU4655696.

You’ll find it top-right on the B/L or sea waybill. It’s different from the container number (which identifies the physical box and can cover several containers on one B/L) and from your booking reference — if one identifier returns nothing, try the other on the carrier’s page.

If your ACL tracking isn’t working

1. 1 Check the number format first

   Bill-of-lading numbers start with the carrier’s letter code followed by the document number (like ACLU4655696). Make sure you’re using the B/L number, not the container number or the booking reference — they’re three different identifiers on the same paperwork.

2. 2 Make sure the number was issued by this carrier

   If your shipment was booked through a freight forwarder, the number on your paperwork may be the forwarder’s own reference, which ACL’s system won’t recognise. Ask whoever issued your documents which carrier number to use — or paste the number on our homepage and we’ll work out who it belongs to.

3. 3 Too early or too late

   Timing matters: a number that was only just issued may not show results yet, and carriers remove old shipments from public tracking a few weeks after delivery. If the shipment is very new or long delivered, an empty result doesn’t mean the number is wrong.

4. 4 Paste carefully on ACL’s page

   ACL asks you to type the number on its own page, so paste it exactly — no spaces before or after, and no extra characters picked up from an email. If the page shows a security check, complete it and search again.

5. 5 Still nothing?

   Contact whoever sold you the freight service (your forwarder, broker, or ACL directly) with the bill of lading number and the booking reference — they can see internal status that public tracking doesn’t show.

Frequently asked questions

How do I track an ACL bill of lading?

Type your bill of lading number in the box above and press Track. You’ll land on ACL’s own tracking page — paste your number there and search. ACL bill of lading numbers usually begin with ACLU.

What does an ACL bill of lading number look like?

Bill-of-lading numbers usually start with the carrier’s four-letter code (its SCAC prefix) followed by the document number — for example COSU6285551440. For ACL the carrier code is ACLU. A format-valid example is ACLU4655696.

Why does the ACL page open without my number filled in?

ACL asks everyone to enter the number on its own page (it has a security check), so it can’t be filled in ahead of time. We bring you to the right page — just paste your number there.

What if my number doesn’t start with ACLU?

Then it probably wasn’t issued by ACL — shipments booked through a freight forwarder or partner carrier often travel under another company’s bill of lading number. Paste the number on our homepage and we’ll suggest the right carriers and forwarder, or check your shipping paperwork for who issued it.

Is this ACL’s official tracking site?

No — this is a free, independent tool that brings every carrier’s tracking together in one place. When you track here you end up on ACL’s own page, so everything you see comes straight from ACL. We never see or store your shipment details.