WiseTech & Hapag-Lloyd pilot live container tracking

WiseTech Global and Hapag-Lloyd have launched a pilot that feeds real-time data from Hapag-Lloyd's container fleet into WiseTech's CargoWise software, bringing location and estimated arrival information directly into freight forwarding and logistics workflows.

The trial uses data transmitted from smart devices fitted to Hapag-Lloyd's 2 million dry containers. The devices generate frequent location updates, which the companies are testing at scale to see whether CargoWise can ingest and process millions of data points a day and convert them into usable shipment milestones.

Container shipping has traditionally relied on event messages tied to scheduled movements and port scans. Those updates can arrive late or contain gaps. The pilot is framed as a shift toward continuous tracking based on container-level signals.

Live feeds

Hapag-Lloyd is providing two services under the pilot: Live Position and Live ETA. The information flows into CargoWise and can be delivered to users through products including CargoWise Cargo Tracker and Container Automation.

WiseTech also plans to distribute the data through other parts of its network, including GLO, INTTRA and Neo. These services are used by logistics providers and shippers to manage bookings, documentation and shipment status messages across carriers and modes.

The integration focuses on turning raw location updates into standardised milestones and alerts, including indicators of whether a container is moving as expected and flags for anomalies such as route deviations or delays between handover points.

Hapag-Lloyd's Live ETA uses container-device signals to adjust estimated arrival times as journeys unfold. The prediction is recalculated in real time from movement and location data and applies across transport modes, allowing updates to continue inland as well as at sea.

For shipments where Hapag-Lloyd manages the full move from port to the customer location, the carrier says Live ETA improves delivery-time accuracy by 75% compared with static, schedule-based predictions. No methodology or sample size was provided for that figure.

Operational impact

The pilot comes amid a wider push in container shipping toward track-and-trace services that extend beyond port-to-port visibility. Shippers and forwarders have sought more reliable arrival estimates and earlier disruption warnings. In response, carriers, terminals and technology firms have introduced products combining schedules, vessel positioning and, increasingly, container-level telemetry.

This project differs in the scale of data and its placement inside execution software used by freight forwarders. CargoWise sits at the centre of many forwarding operations, connecting order management, customs processes, documentation and transport planning. A direct feed of live container signals could change how exceptions are handled and when customer updates are triggered.

"The shipping industry has long relied on discrete and often inaccurate event updates that may lag by hours or even days. By bringing IoT-driven live container data and tracking into CargoWise, we're revolutionizing supply chain visibility. This collaboration with Hapag-Lloyd harnesses data at significant scale to turn it into intelligence that customers can act on, to reduce uncertainty, improve efficiency, and make smarter decisions," said Zubin Appoo, Chief Executive Officer, WiseTech Global.

Hapag-Lloyd has invested in devices across its dry container fleet, enabling asset-level tracking rather than relying solely on vessel data and port messages. It has also built services around those signals, including live location and arrival estimates.

"We've invested in equipping our entire dry container fleet with IoT technology to provide better service and reliability to our customers. Working with WiseTech, we can integrate the data from our smart containers into the systems our customers use every day, providing actionable predictive insights rather than just dots on a map. This partnership represents an important step toward a more transparent, resilient and digitally enabled global supply chain," said Karsten Schmidt.

Next steps

The companies will assess data quality, accuracy and usability as the trial scales. They also plan to gather feedback from shared customers during the pilot to guide product development and commercial plans.

The initiative aligns with a broader trend of carriers opening data feeds into software platforms used by forwarders and cargo owners, rather than relying on standalone tracking portals. The pilot will help determine whether a container-visibility product can be offered more widely through WiseTech's platforms as the work progresses.