Quick answer: CMA CGM tracking is event driven. If your page looks blank or stale before the vessel sails, the data likely has not been transmitted yet. CMA CGM’s Customer Essentials note that shipment information is usually transmitted about 8 working hours after the vessel sails. Pages refresh once the first actual events post.
How CMA CGM tracking actually updates
Shipment pages combine planned, estimated, and actual milestones. Planned or estimated values may show before departure. Actuals arrive after the operational event is recorded and shared. Once an actual load or actual departure posts, downstream estimates usually adjust.
Why updates lag on CMA CGM
Before the vessel sails
Many fields stay planned or empty until the ship sails. If there is no “shipped on board” date, other milestones may not populate.
Post sailing transmission window
CMA CGM guidance says customer facing shipment information is usually transmitted about 8 working hours after sail off. Treat this as typical, not a guarantee.
Feeder to mainline handoffs
Transshipment legs can remain planned or estimated until the feeder’s actual events post and the mainline assignment is confirmed.
Identifier or view mismatch
If updates look wrong, confirm the BL, booking, or container number and try the alternative identifier.
Status to event mapping
| What you see | What it usually means | Standardized view |
|---|---|---|
| No recent update | Pre sailing or no actual events published yet | Planned or Estimated |
| Shipped on Board | Container confirmed loaded to vessel | Equipment Loaded, Actual |
| Vessel departed | Voyage leg has started | Transport Departure, Actual |
| Vessel arrived | Port call arrival confirmed | Transport Arrival, Actual |
| Discharged | Box taken off vessel | Equipment Discharged, Actual |
| Gate out full | Box left terminal | Equipment Gate Out, Actual |
What to do when CMA CGM is not updating
- Check schedule while you wait. Use Voyage Finder to confirm the intended vessel and window.
- Give it a post sailing window. Recheck after one business day. Note the typical 8 working hour transmission period.
- Enable notifications. Turn on alerts so you do not have to refresh manually.
- Verify identifiers. Confirm BL, container, or booking numbers and try the other view if one is empty.
- Escalate if needed. If nothing appears well after the window, contact CMA CGM support through your portal channel with references.
What could still be confusing
“No update” does not always mean an exception. It often means the first actual event has not posted. ETAs will change when schedules replan or when a feeder handoff is involved. Focus on the next expected actual milestone instead of the day to day estimate.
Methods and sources
Method: Explain updates using standardized event classes. Validate the transmission window and “SOB after sail off” language from CMA CGM’s Customer Essentials. Link to the official tracking and schedule tools.
- DCSA glossary of terms: dcsa.org/standards/shipping-glossary
- DCSA Track and Trace standard overview: dcsa.org/standards/track-and-trace
- CMA CGM tracking: cma-cgm.com/ebusiness/tracking
- CMA CGM Voyage Finder: cma-cgm.com/ebusiness/schedules/voyage
- CMA CGM Customer Essentials examples with “usually transmitted 8 working hours after the vessel sails” and notifications:
Next steps
Cross check your BL across carriers in one view. Try our tracking page. Want automated status change alerts across carriers. Talk to us.
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