PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper

What does PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper do?

PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper is an Apify actor that extracts real-time shipment tracking data from Pacific International Lines (PIL), one of the largest container shipping carriers in Asia. Simply enter your tracking numbers — container numbers, B/L (Bill of Lading) numbers, booking references, or PO numbers — and the scraper automatically detects the type, queries the PIL tracking system, and returns structured shipment data ready for analysis or integration.

No coding experience is needed. Paste your numbers, click Start, and download the results in JSON, CSV, Excel, or other formats.

Why scrape PIL shipment data?

Manually checking the PIL website for container tracking updates is time-consuming, especially when managing multiple shipments across different trade lanes. This actor automates PIL cargo tracking so you can:

• 📦 Monitor shipment status — Get the full container event timeline, route and transhipment legs for every shipment
• 🔄 Track in bulk — Track hundreds of container, B/L, booking or PO numbers in a single run
• 📊 Feed data into dashboards — Export structured tracking data to Google Sheets, Slack, email, or your own systems via Apify integrations
• ⏰ Set up automated tracking — Schedule periodic runs to monitor shipment progress without manual checks
• 🚨 Catch exceptions early — Track loading, discharge, transhipment and empty-return events as they happen
• 🔗 Build logistics pipelines — Use the Apify API to integrate PIL tracking data into your supply chain tools

What data can you extract from PIL?

The scraper extracts the following data points from PIL's tracking system:

Data Field	Description
Tracking Number	The number you submitted
Type	Detected number type (Container / B/L / Booking / Purchase Order)
Reference Number	PIL booking / B/L reference for the shipment
Route	Place of receipt and place of delivery (with UN/LOCODE port codes)
Container	Container count and type/size (e.g. 1X40HC)
Transhipments	Each leg: port, estimated arrival/departure, next port, vessel and voyage
Event Timeline	Every container event — name, date, port and vessel/voyage

Ready-to-Run Examples

Get started in seconds — open the example in the Apify Console and click Run:

• Track PIL Containers by Container Number — enter a container number and get its route, transhipment legs and full event timeline.

How to track PIL shipments step by step

1. Go to the PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper on Apify Store
2. Click Try for free to open the actor in the Apify Console
3. Enter your tracking numbers in the Tracking Numbers field — one per line. Container numbers (e.g., PCIU1666440), B/L numbers, booking references and PO numbers are all accepted; the type is detected automatically
4. Click Start to run the scraper
5. When the run finishes, preview the results in the Output tab, or download them as JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML, or RSS

Example input

{
  "trackingNumbers": [
    "PCIU1666440"
  ]
}

PIL tracking input parameters

Parameter	Type	Required	Description
trackingNumbers	Array of strings	✅ Yes	The numbers to track — one per line. Container, B/L, booking and PO numbers are all accepted; the type is detected automatically.

PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper output example

Each tracked number produces one structured item in the dataset. Here is a shortened example for a container number:

{
  "tracking_number": "PCIU1666440",
  "type": "Container",
  "ref_number": "KHI600104600",
  "place_of_receipt": "KARACHI",
  "place_of_receipt_code": "PKKHI",
  "place_of_delivery": "ZHENJIANG",
  "place_of_delivery_code": "CNZHE",
  "containers_num": "1X20GP",
  "transhipments": [
    {
      "port_name": "KARACHI",
      "estimated_departure": "2026-06-25",
      "next_port_name": "SHANGHAI",
      "next_port_arrival": "2026-07-14",
      "vessel": "USSAMA BHUM",
      "voyage": "VUSB0013E"
    }
  ],
  "events": [
    {
      "event_name": "Vessel Loading",
      "event_date": "2026-06-24 18:40:00",
      "port_name": "KARACHI",
      "vessel": "USSAMA BHUM",
      "voyage": "VUSB0013E"
    }
  ]
}

The actual output includes every transhipment leg and event. Numbers with no current tracking data are skipped and not charged.

Integrations and PIL tracking API

PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper is built on the Apify platform, which gives you powerful options to automate and integrate your cargo tracking workflow:

• API access — Call the actor programmatically via the Apify API to track shipments from your own applications
• Scheduled runs — Set up scheduled recurring runs to monitor shipment progress daily, hourly, or at any interval
• Webhooks — Receive notifications when a tracking run finishes so you can trigger downstream processes
• Integrations — Connect tracking results to Google Sheets, Slack, Zapier, Make, and many more
• Data formats — Download results in JSON, CSV, Excel, XML, HTML, or RSS

This makes PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper a drop-in solution for supply chain management systems, logistics dashboards, and automated shipping notifications.

Frequently asked questions

Is it legal to scrape PIL?

Our scrapers are ethical and do not extract any private user data. They only extract publicly available shipment tracking information that any visitor can access on the PIL website with a tracking number. We therefore believe that our scrapers, when used for ethical purposes by Apify users, are safe. However, you should be aware that your results could contain data related to commercial shipments. If you're unsure about your use case, consult your legal team.

Can I track multiple shipments at once?

Yes. Enter as many tracking numbers as you need in the Tracking Numbers field — one per line. The scraper processes them in parallel batches for maximum speed and uses automatic IP rotation to handle rate limits.

What types of tracking numbers are supported?

The scraper accepts four types of numbers and detects the type automatically — no manual selection needed:

• Container numbers — ISO 6346 format (4 letters + 7 digits, e.g., PCIU1666440, PILU8000105, PIDU2000424)
• B/L (Bill of Lading) numbers — PIL B/L reference numbers
• Booking references — PIL booking reference numbers
• PO numbers — Purchase order numbers

What if a tracking number is not found?

If a number returns no tracking data from PIL's system, the scraper logs a warning and skips it. You are not charged for numbers that return no results.

How do I get support or report issues?

If you encounter any issues or have questions about the PIL Cargo Tracking Scraper, you can:

• Open an issue on the Issues tab of the actor page
• Reach out to the developer for a custom solution based on your specific tracking needs

We welcome all feedback and feature requests!