How to Track Your Order After Production

Once your order finishes production and passes final inspection, it moves to the shipping stage. This article explains what tracking information we provide, how to use it, and what happens between departure and delivery.

What Tracking Information We Provide After Shipment

For every order, we provide tracking details within one business day of departure. The format depends on the shipping method:

• Sea freight (FCL or LCL): Bill of Lading number and vessel name
• Air freight: Air Waybill number
• Express courier: Courier tracking link with real-time updates

In all cases, the tracking information is sent to you by email along with the shipping documents.

Tracking for Sea Freight (FCL and LCL)

Sea freight tracking uses the Bill of Lading (B/L) as the reference document. Once the vessel departs, we send you:

• B/L number
• Vessel name and voyage number
• Port of loading (Shenzhen) and port of discharge
• Estimated time of departure (ETD) and estimated time of arrival (ETA)

You can track the vessel using the B/L number on carrier websites or third-party tracking platforms. Key milestones include:

• On board — Container loaded onto the vessel
• ETD — Vessel departure from Shenzhen port
• Transit — Vessel en route (duration depends on destination)
• ETA — Estimated arrival at destination port
• Arrival notice — Customs broker receives notification to begin clearance

For full container load (FCL) shipments, the entire container is yours and moves as one unit. For less-than-container load (LCL) shipments, your goods share space with other cargo — tracking follows the same process but consolidation and deconsolidation add steps at origin and destination.

Tracking for Air Freight

Air freight tracking uses the Air Waybill (AWB) number. The AWB is issued when the cargo departs, typically shipped within 24 hours of the flight.

We send you the AWB number and the carrier name. You can enter the AWB number on the airline’s tracking page or a universal air cargo tracking site. The main milestones are:

• Departed — Flight departed from Shenzhen
• Arrived — Cargo arrived at destination airport
• Customs clearance — Underway or completed
• Delivered — Picked up by your forwarder or delivered to your address

Air freight is significantly faster than sea freight, but tracking updates are generally limited to these key milestones rather than continuous GPS-style tracking.

Tracking for Express (Courier)

For courier shipments (DHL, FedEx, UPS), the tracking process is the most straightforward. We send you a direct tracking link that shows:

• Current location of the shipment
• Estimated delivery date
• Detailed scan history (pickup, export, import scan, out for delivery, delivered)
• Signature confirmation upon delivery

Courier tracking updates in near-real-time. If you need proof of delivery, the courier provides a signed delivery record which we can forward to you.

What We Do After Shipment

Our role does not end at departure. After your order ships, we:

• Send shipping documents — Commercial invoice, packing list, and Bill of Lading or Air Waybill within 1 business day
• Monitor ETAs — Track the estimated arrival date and notify you of any changes
• Remind you before arrival — Especially for sea freight, we flag upcoming arrival so your customs broker can prepare
• Assist with exceptions — If the carrier reports a delay, damage, or documentation issue, we coordinate with the freight forwarder on your behalf

For DDP shipments, we also handle destination customs clearance and last-mile delivery arrangements. For FOB and EXW shipments, we hand over to your nominated forwarder after departure.

For an overview of how each shipping term works, see Nanbin Shipping Options: EXW, FOB, DDP Explained.

How We Handle Shipment Delays

Delays can happen in international shipping — port congestion, weather, customs holds. When they do, here is how we respond:

• Sea freight delays beyond ETA — We contact the carrier or our freight forwarder for an updated schedule and inform you
• Courier delays beyond estimated delivery — We assist in filing a tracer with the courier and follow up until resolution
• Customs holds — For DDP shipments, we handle customs communication directly. For FOB/EXW, we provide documentation support to your broker as needed

In most cases, delays are administrative (documentation holds, customs queries) and are resolved within a few days. If a delay affects your inventory planning, we work with you to adjust timelines for your next order.

Have a shipment in transit? Contact us with your order number and we will check the latest status for you.