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Bill of lading number formatting

Difference between valid and invalid master bill of lading numbers.

Master bill of lading numbers for most international shipping companies follow the same format of SCAC + master bill of lading number. If your bill of lading number does not follow this format, it may be a house bill of lading number which is not currently supported by the Vizion API.

Otherwise, no additional formatting is required when passing a master bill of lading number to the API via Create Reference via Bill of Lading or optionally via Create Reference via Carrier Code. 

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We highly recommend providing the bill of lading number to the Vizion API exactly as it is provided to you.

Below, you can find generic examples of each supported carrier's known master bill of lading format as of June 2026 based on what is acceptable via that carrier's own tracking webpage.

This may not be the source of truth indefinitely, but these are the trends that we have observed based on the month and year previously mentioned.

CarrierCarrier CodeKnown SCAC prefixesMBL FormattingExample(s)
Australia National LineANNU3 letters + 7 numbersABC1234567
Allcargo LogisticsALPJComing soonComing soon
Arkas LineARKU3 letters + 9 numbersABC123456789
APLAPLU3 letters + 7 numbersABC1234567
Atlantic Container LineACLUACLUSA + 8 numbers, or S + 9 numbersSA12345678, or S123456789, or ACLUSA12345678, or ACLUS123456789
CK LineCKLUCKCOCKCO + 3 letters + 7 numbersCKCOABC1234567
CMA CGMCMDU3 letters + 7 numbersABC1234567
COSCOCOSU10 numbers1234567890
CrowleyCMCUCAT, CWLQCWLQ + 4 letters + 1 number + 1 letter + 6 numbers, or CAT + 6 numbersCWLQABCD1A123456, or CAT123456
DongjinDJLUDJSCDJSC + 3 letters + 9 numbersDJSCABC123456789
ECU WorldwideECUWECUI6 letters + 5 numbersABCDEF12345 (API will trim prefix automatically)
EvergreenEGLV12 numbers123456789012
Hamburg SuudSUDU12 alphanumeric charactersA1B2C3D4E5F6
Hapag-LloydHLCUHLCUHLCU + 2 letters + (1 letter or 1 number) + 9 alphanumeric charactersHLCUABC1A2B3C4D5, or ABC1A2B3C4D5 (API will prepend HLCU automatically)
Heung-A ShippingHASLHASLHASL + 1 letter + 11 numbersHASLA12345678901
Independent Container LineILLUComing soonComing soon
HyundaiHDMU4 letters + 4 alphanumeric characters + 4 numbersABCD12345678, or ABCD1AB20000
Korea Marine TransportKMTU10 characters (3 letters + 7 numbers, or 4 letters + 6 numbers)ABC1234567, or ABCD123456
MaerskMAEUMAEU9 numbers123456789 (API will trim prefix automatically)
MarfretMFTUComing soonComing soon
MatsonMATSMATS10 numbers1234567890 (API will trim prefix automatically)
MSCMSCUMEDUMEDU + 2 alphanumeric characters + 6 numbersMEDUA1234567, or MEDUAB123456
NamsungNSRUNSSLNSSL + 5 letters + 7 numbersNSSLABCDE1234567
ONE LineONEYONEY12 characters (6 alphanumeric characters + 6 numbers)A1B2C3123456 (API will trim prefix automatically)
OOCLOOCLOOCL, OOLU10 numbers1234567890 (API will trim prefix automatically)
Pacific International LinePCIUPCIU12 characters (3 letters + 9 numbers, or 4 letters + 8 numbers)ABC123456789, or ABCD12345678 (API will trim prefix automatically)
Regional Container LinesRCLU5 letters + 8 numbersABCDE12345678
SACO ShippingSSLLComing soonComing soon
SafmarineSAFM9 numbers123456789
Seaboard MarineSMLUComing soonComing soon
SealandSEAU9 numbers123456789
SeaLeadSJHHSJHH10 numbers, or SJHH + 6 letters + 1 alphanumeric character + 4 numbers1234567890, or SJHHABCDEFG1234
ShipcoSHPTComing soonComing soon
SinokorSNKOSNKOSNKO + 12 numbersSNKO123456789012
SinolinesComing soonComing soon
SinotransSTRSSOC, SNLSOC (or SNL) + 1 alphanumeric character + 4 letters + 6 numbersSOC4ABCD123456
SITCSITCSIT, STMSIT + 4 letters + 7 numbers, or STM + 4 numbers + 3 letters + 3 numbersSITABCD1234567, or STM1234ABC567
SM LinesSMLMSMLM12 characters (3 letters + 9 numbers, or 4 letters + 8 numbers)ABC123456789, or ABCD12345678 (API will trim prefix automatically)
SwireCHVW2 letters + 8 numbersAB12345678
TS LineTSTU4 letters and 12 numbers or 12 numbersABCD123456789101 or 123456789101
Vanguard LogisticsVGLTComing soonComing soon
West European Container (WEC) LinesWECUWECCWECC + 4 numbers + 3 letters + 4 numbersWECC1234ABC5678
Wan HaiWHLC3 numbers + 2 letters + 5 numbers123AB12345 (API will trim prefix automatically)
Westwood Shipping LinesWWSUSSBFSSBF + 2 letters + 3 numbers + 4 letters + 3 numbersSSBFAB123CDEF456
Yang MingYMLUYMLU, YMJA1 letter + 9 numbersA123456789 (API will trim prefix automatically)
ZIMZIMUZIMU3 letters + 4 to 7 numbersABC1234, ABC12345, ABC123456, or ABC1234567 (API will prepend ZIMU automatically)