What “Pending Vessel” Really Means on Hapag-Lloyd Tracking

Quick answer: “Pending vessel” is a user label for a planned leg that is not yet tied to a named ship in customer view. Hapag-Lloyd’s pages can show planned movements until assignment is confirmed and the first actual events post. The state clears when Loaded and the departure actual arrive for the next leg. Treat…

TRADLINX

November 29, 2025

2 minutes

Container tracking, DCSA, Hapag-Lloyd, planned vs actual, shipment status, tracing subscription, Track and Trace, Transshipment

Quick answer: “Pending vessel” is a user label for a planned leg that is not yet tied to a named ship in customer view. Hapag-Lloyd’s pages can show planned movements until assignment is confirmed and the first actual events post. The state clears when Loaded and the departure actual arrive for the next leg. Treat “pending” as planning language, not a fault.

Translate “pending” into standardized milestones

Planned stage: The container view can show data for planned movements tied to the last booking. Vessel details may be limited until the plan is firm (Belgium FAQ).
Actual stage begins: The “pending” idea ends when equipment milestones post. The decisive changes are Loaded and the first Transport Departure on the outbound leg, which then drive ETA recalculation (DCSA Track & Trace).

You can subscribe to Tracing Subscription so the system emails you when those events change. If your team needs system integration, the Track & Trace API exposes the same event classes.

Realistic triggers that keep a vessel pending

Feeder assignment not finalized at the hub.
Berth or rotation changes holding the connection in planning.
Documentation or cut off timing holds the box after Gate In.
System handoffs delay when a named vessel appears in customer view even while planning proceeds in operational systems.

Tip: For transshipment routes, treat the ETA as provisional until you see Loaded for the outbound vessel in Track by Container.

What to do about it

Check the current leg and intended connection in Track by Container and the schedule links under the tracking overview.
Turn on Tracing Subscription so you catch Loaded, Discharged, and ETA changes.
If your team needs machine to machine updates, use the Track & Trace API.

What could still be confusing: “Pending” is not a timer. It is planning language in customer view. Only equipment and transport actuals convert a plan into a firm leg.

Methods and sources

Hapag-Lloyd Track by Container and Tracking overview
User Guide: Tracing Subscription describing email alerts on event changes
Track & Trace API product page for shipment, equipment, and milestone events
Belgium local FAQ noting planned versus actual movements in container view
DCSA Track & Trace documentation and the DCSA glossary

Next steps

See vessel assignments across carriers in one place. Try our tracking page. Need alerts when a pending state flips to loaded or departed? Talk to us.

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