DCSA published Track & Trace 3.0.0 to standardize shipment visibility across container shipping by adding IoT and reefer container monitoring, ensuring consistent event reporting across all supply chain parties and platforms.
- Track & Trace 3.0.0 expands DCSA's widely-adopted standard to include IoT events (geolocation, geofence crossing, door status) and reefer events (temperature, power status, alarms)
- The new standard will be available to DCSA members and partners before a public release in the second half of 2027
- IoT and reefer additions enable end-to-end digitalization of container shipping with consistent visibility across carriers, terminals, shippers, and freight forwarders
- Organizations using Track & Trace 2.2.0 must plan migration to version 3.0.0 as it affects both information exchanged and how it is shared
- The standard improves communication of shipment changes, corrected events, and event exchange through multiple intermediaries in the supply chain
The Digital Container Shipping Association (DCSA) published Track & Trace 3.0.0 to also cover IoT and reefer events.
Without a common standard, the same shipment event can be described differently by every supply chain party and platform that touches it. A single gate-in or discharge might carry a different name, format or set of fields depending on who reports it, leaving users and solution providers to reconcile these differences themselves, one counterparty at a time.
"Track & Trace 2.2.0 is one of DCSA's most widely used and adopted standards, and version 3.0.0 builds directly on that foundation. Extending it to connected containers and refrigerated cargo reflects DCSA's broader push to digitalize container shipping end to end, giving the industry a wider, more consistent view of a shipment as it moves. Each update to this standard is shaped directly by how organizations are actually using it, so the standard keeps pace with where visibility is heading rather than where it started,” says Iker Echave, head of standards at DCSA.
Key takeaways:
· Track & Trace 3.0.0 will initially be made available to DCSA members and DCSA+ partners before being released to the public during the second half of 2027.
· Track & Trace 2.2.0 established a shared foundation for shipment, transport and equipment visibility.
· IoT events cover occurrences and conditions detected by connected containers and devices, such as geolocation, geofence crossing and door status.
· Reefer events cover measurements and control actions associated with refrigerated containers, including temperature, setpoint adjustments, power status and alarms.
· Alongside these additions, the standard also introduces clearer ways to represent changes to shipments and related documents, improves how corrected or withdrawn events are communicated, and supports event exchange through carriers, platforms and other intermediaries.
· The standard is relevant to any organization that produces, consumes or forwards container-shipping visibility events, including carriers, terminals, inland operators, shippers, freight forwarders and IoT or telematics providers.
· Organizations currently using Track & Trace 2.2.0 will need to plan and implement a migration to version 3.0.0, as the changes affect both the information exchanged and how it is shared.
