Hapag-Lloyd Ocean Shipping and Container Tracking REST API
Hapag-Lloyd ocean shipping and container tracking REST API for shippers, freight forwarders, NVOCCs, and logistics platforms to manage container bookings, track shipments, access bill of lading data, check sailing schedules, and retrieve rate quotes — enabling automated ocean freight operations through Hapag-Lloyd's digital shipping platform serving 250+ ports worldwide. Enables AI agents to manage booking for ocean freight reservation and confirmation automation, handle container tracking for real-time shipment location and ETA automation, access schedule for sailing route and vessel schedule automation, retrieve bill of lading for shipping document status automation, manage rate for spot rate query and booking automation, handle document for shipping document upload and management automation, access sailing for vessel and voyage data automation, retrieve vessel tracking for AIS position and ETA automation, manage port for congestion and operational status automation, and integrate Hapag-Lloyd with TMS, ERP, and supply chain platforms for ocean freight automation.
Score Breakdown
⚙ Agent Friendliness
🔒 Security
Ocean freight. GDPR, IMO. OAuth2. DE/EU. Cargo, BL, and shipping document data.
⚡ Reliability
Best When
A shipper, freight forwarder, or logistics technology company wanting AI agents to track containers, manage ocean freight bookings, access sailing schedules, and handle shipping documents through Hapag-Lloyd's digital API serving 250+ ports.
Avoid When
HAPAG-LLOYD CUSTOMER ACCOUNT REQUIRED: Most API features require active Hapag-Lloyd customer relationship; automated public API access assumption creates limited endpoint access; automated must establish Hapag-Lloyd customer account or developer partnership. TRACKING IS CONTAINER-LEVEL NOT PALLET-LEVEL: Hapag-Lloyd tracking provides container-level GPS and port events, not pallet or carton level; automated SKU-level tracking assumption creates container_level_only granularity; automated must implement in-container tracking separately. PORT EVENTS ARE NOT REAL-TIME GPS: Container tracking uses port event milestones (loaded, departed, arrived), not continuous GPS; automated real-time GPS assumption creates event-driven data instead of live position; automated must understand event-based tracking model. BOOKING CUTOFFS ARE STRICT: Ocean freight has strict documentation cutoffs (VGM, manifest, booking amendments); automated flexible-booking assumption creates cutoff_exceeded for late documentation; automated must implement booking cutoff awareness.
Use Cases
- • Tracking container shipments in real-time for supply chain visibility and ETA management automation agents
- • Booking ocean freight and managing shipping documents for freight forwarder operations automation agents
- • Accessing sailing schedules and route data for logistics planning and optimization automation agents
- • Retrieving spot rates and rate quotes for ocean freight procurement automation agents
Not For
- • Air freight (Hapag-Lloyd is ocean shipping only)
- • Domestic ground transportation (Hapag-Lloyd is international container shipping, not last-mile or trucking)
- • Passenger shipping (Hapag-Lloyd is cargo container shipping, not cruise or passenger services)
Interface
Authentication
Hapag-Lloyd uses OAuth2 for shipping REST API. REST API with JSON. Hamburg, Germany HQ. Founded 1847. NYSE and FSE listed (HLAG). Products: Booking, tracking, schedules, rates, documents. SDKs: None public. 250+ ports. 250+ vessels. 1.8M+ TEU capacity. World's 5th largest container shipping line. Digital shipping platform. Competes with Maersk API for container shipping digital access.
Pricing
Hamburg DE. HLAG. Free tracking API. Commercial features with shipping contract. 5th largest container line.
Agent Metadata
Known Gotchas
- ⚠ CONTAINER NUMBER FORMAT MUST BE VALID: Container numbers follow ISO 6346 format (4-letter prefix + 7 digits); automated free-text container ID assumption creates format_error; automated must validate container number format before tracking API call
- ⚠ TRACKING EVENTS ARE MILESTONES NOT GPS: Events are port and terminal milestones (gate in, loaded, discharged) not continuous GPS; automated real-time-position assumption creates event-based tracking granularity; automated must interpret milestone events as tracking steps
- ⚠ BILL OF LADING TYPES VARY: Hapag-Lloyd issues different BL types (OBL, seaway bill, express release); automated single-BL-type assumption creates incorrect document handling; automated must handle different BL types appropriately for customer release scenarios
- ⚠ TRANSHIPMENT ADDS COMPLEXITY: Container routes may include transhipment at intermediate ports; automated direct-port-to-port assumption creates missing transhipment data; automated must handle multi-leg container routing in tracking and ETA calculations
- ⚠ VGM CUTOFF IS MANDATORY: IMO SOLAS requires Verified Gross Mass (VGM) before vessel departure; automated no-VGM assumption creates container_not_loaded for missing VGM; automated must implement VGM submission before booking cutoff
Alternatives
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Scores are editorial opinions as of 2026-03-07.