CSNU · CBHU · 2 more prefixes → elines.coscoshipping.com
COSCO Container Tracking
Track on elines.coscoshipping.com →
China’s flagship carrier ranks fourth in the world by fleet (Alphaliner, 2026, group figure including OOCL), and its tracking portal reflects the state-enterprise scale: functional, fast, and strictly manual entry. The search field is forgiving about which identifier you paste; it is not forgiving about which group brand issued it.
Validate the prefix below before searching — the CBHU registration quirk and the OOCL split cause most of the dead-end lookups we see for COSCO shipments.
4 letters + 7 digits, printed on the doors
COSCO prefixes: CSNU, CCLU, CSLU and the CBHU quirk
Three of the four codes — CSNU, CCLU and CSLU — sit plainly under COSCO Shipping Lines in the BIC register. CBHU is the oddity: the registration names Florens, the container-leasing company inside the same group, while the boxes circulate in COSCO’s operated fleet. Aggregator sites split on how to label it; our checker follows operational reality and points CBHU at the COSCO tracker.
COSCO B/L numbers: the COSU format
Documents issued by COSCO Shipping Lines carry the COSU SCAC ahead of the number — distinct from every container prefix in the fleet, so a COSU string pasted into a prefix validator will rightly be rejected as “not a container”. The eLines search accepts it directly, and tracking at B/L level is the sensible default when a booking covers several boxes moving together.
Using the eLines tracker
Manual entry is the rule here: our tests confirmed that elines.coscoshipping.com ignores any number smuggled into the URL, presenting a blank form every time. Once submitted, the timeline runs from empty-container pickup through vessel legs to final gate-in, in English despite the .com/.cn duality. The COSCO Shipping Lines app mirrors the feed and adds subscription alerts, which beats polling the site during a long transpacific crossing.
| Container number | ✓ yes |
|---|---|
| Bill of lading (B/L) | ✓ yes |
| Booking reference | ✓ yes |
| Pre-filled link | — no |
| Mobile app | ✓ yes |
Browser-verified 2026-08-03
- Alliance
- Ocean Alliance · CMA CGM tracking, OOCL tracking, Evergreen tracking
- Headquarters
- Shanghai, China
- Founded
- 1961
- Fleet rank (Alphaliner, 2026)
- #4 worldwide
COSCO’s roots go back to 1961 as the PRC’s state ocean carrier; the modern group took shape through the 2016 merger with China Shipping and the $6.3 billion purchase of OOCL completed in 2018. It sails in the Ocean Alliance with CMA CGM, OOCL and Evergreen.
Frequently asked questions
Is CBHU a COSCO container or a leased one?
Both, in a sense: CBHU is registered to Florens, COSCO’s in-house leasing arm, but the boxes work as standard COSCO fleet equipment. Track any CBHU number on the eLines site as usual.
Why won’t my OOCL box track on the COSCO site?
COSCO bought OOCL in 2018 yet deliberately kept the two brands separate — separate sales, separate documentation, separate trackers. OOLU and OOCU numbers only resolve at oocl.com.
Can I link someone straight to my COSCO tracking result?
Not with this carrier — the eLines page discards query parameters, so any shared link lands on the empty form. Send the container or COSU number instead and let the recipient paste it.
What number should I use: container, COSU B/L or booking?
All three work in the same eLines field. Prefer the COSU bill of lading when the shipment spans multiple containers, and the container number when you care about one specific box.
Does COSCO tracking work in English?
Yes — the eLines portal defaults to English internationally, with the same data available in Chinese. No account is required for a basic cargo search.