You can track your vehicle in various ways during a RoRo shipment. The most important methods are VIN tracking via the shipping company, tracking via bill of lading number and real-time ship tracking via AIS services. In addition, forwarders such as ODS Orient inform you about important milestones such as loading, departure and arrival.
When you ship a vehicle by RoRo, there are often several weeks between dropping it off at the harbour and picking it up at its destination. During this time, it is understandable that you want to know where your vehicle is and whether everything is going according to plan.
Good tracking not only gives you security, but also helps with planning. If you know when the ship will arrive, you can organise customs clearance, collection and onward transport in good time.
Tracking is also important for documentation. If there are delays or discrepancies, you have a complete tracking system to help you clarify the situation.
The chassis number (VIN - Vehicle Identification Number) is the unique identifier of your vehicle and the most important tool for tracking. Many large RoRo shipping companies offer a VIN tracking portal on their websites.
This is how you proceed:
Find out the VIN: You can find the 17-digit chassis number in the vehicle registration document, on the vehicle itself (usually on the windscreen or in the door frame) or in your booking confirmation.
Call up the portal: Go to the shipping company's website and search for the „Cargo Tracking" or „Vehicle Tracking" section.
Enter VIN: Enter the complete VIN and start the search.
Read status: The system shows you the current status: e.g. „Received at Terminal", „Loaded on Vessel", „In Transit" or „Discharged".
Not all shipping companies offer public VIN tracking. In this case, you will receive the information via your carrier.
You can find more details about the tracking structure here: https://odsorient.com/roro-tracking-2026-vin-b-l-ais-so-setzt-du-ein-system-auf
The Bill of Lading (B/L) is the central transport document for sea freight. The B/L number serves as a reference for shipment tracking and is often even more reliable than VIN tracking.
The reason: the B/L number is directly linked to the booking and the transport order. While the VIN only identifies the vehicle, the B/L number contains information about the entire consignment - including the route, ship and planned schedule.
You will receive the B/L number from your forwarder or the shipping company after loading. You can use this number to check the current status of your consignment on the shipping companies' tracking portals.
Tip: Keep the B/L number in a safe place. You will need it not only for tracking, but also for customs clearance at the port of destination.
AIS (Automatic Identification System) is a ship detection system that displays the position of ships worldwide in real time. You can use it to track the ship on which your vehicle is being transported.
Well-known AIS platforms are MarineTraffic, VesselFinder and FleetMon. On these websites or in the associated apps, you simply enter the vessel name or IMO number and see the current position on a world map.
Important: AIS shows the position of the vessel, not the individual vehicle. You use VIN or B/L tracking for the vehicle-specific status.
The entire RoRo transport process can be divided into clearly defined milestones. Each milestone marks an important change in the status of your consignment:
Gate-In: Your vehicle has been delivered to the port terminal and registered. From now on it is the responsibility of the terminal.
Loaded onto vessel: The vehicle was driven onto the RoRo ship and secured. Loading has been completed.
Vessel Departed: The ship has left the port of departure. The transit time begins.
In Transit: The ship is en route to the port of destination. Stopovers in other harbours are possible.
Vessel Arrived: The ship has reached its port of destination. Unloading is imminent.
Discharged: Your vehicle has been unloaded from the ship and is at the destination terminal.
Available for Pickup: After customs clearance, you can collect your vehicle or have it transported onwards.
Your freight forwarder will usually inform you of the most important milestones by e-mail or telephone.
It may happen that the tracking system does not display up-to-date data. This is not automatically a cause for concern. There are several common causes for this:
In such cases, your forwarding agent is the best point of contact. ODS Orient will provide you with up-to-date information on the status of your consignment at any time.
You can find out more about tracking here: https://odsorient.com/so-trackst-du-dein-fahrzeug-waehrend-der-roro-ueberfahrt
As a specialised RoRo freight forwarder, ODS Orient offers you seamless shipment tracking throughout the entire transport process. You don't have to switch between different portals yourself - we bundle all the information for you.
After booking, you will receive all relevant reference numbers (VIN confirmation, B/L number, ship name) and will be proactively informed about every important milestone. If you have any questions or uncertainties, a personal contact person will be at your disposal.
Would you like to find out more about our tracking service? Contact us at https://odsorient.com/kontakt.
Yes, you can track the position of the transport ship in real time via AIS services such as MarineTraffic. For the vehicle-specific status, use VIN or B/L tracking with the shipping company.
You will receive the B/L number from your freight forwarder or the shipping company after loading. It can be found on the Bill of Lading and in the booking confirmation.
The status „In Transit" means that the ship has left the port of departure and is on its way to the port of destination. Stopovers in other ports are possible.
The update frequency depends on the shipping company. Some update the status at every milestone, others only at significant events such as loading and unloading.
Yes, the basic version of AIS platforms such as MarineTraffic and VesselFinder can be used free of charge. Extended functions such as historical data may be subject to a charge.
Contact your forwarding agent. Missing data may have technical reasons or indicate that the status has not yet been updated. You can obtain information from ODS Orient at any time.
Tracking your vehicle during RoRo shipping is easier than you might think. With VIN tracking, B/L tracking and AIS ship tracking, you have three reliable methods for knowing the status at all times.
It is most convenient if your freight forwarder bundles the information and informs you proactively. This allows you to concentrate on planning at the port of destination instead of searching for updates yourself.
Do you have questions about your shipment? Contact us at any time at https://odsorient.com/kontakt.
Do you have any questions or would you like a non-binding offer? Contact us directly: https://odsorient.com/kontakt
All information in this article has been carefully researched but is subject to change at any time. ODS Orient accepts no liability for the topicality, accuracy and completeness of the information provided.
You can track your vehicle in various ways during a RoRo shipment. The most important methods are VIN tracking via the shipping company, tracking via bill of lading number and real-time ship tracking via AIS services. In addition, forwarders such as ODS Orient inform you about important milestones such as loading, departure and arrival. Short answer in 5 bullet points Why is tracking in RoRo shipping [...]?
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