# Why is the same container appearing in multiple shipments?

**URL:** <https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-is-the-same-container-appearing-in-multiple-shipments/171>\
**Category:** How-to Q&A\
**Tags:** containers-on-bl, area-tracking-data\
**Created:** [November 6, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-is-the-same-container-appearing-in-multiple-shipments/171 "2026-11-06T15:21:04Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![dockflow](https://community.dockflow.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/d/a9a28c/32.png) [@dockflow](https://community.dockflow.com/u/dockflow)\
**Post date:** [November 6, 2026, 3:21pm UTC](https://community.dockflow.com/t/why-is-the-same-container-appearing-in-multiple-shipments/171/1 "2026-11-06T15:21:04Z")

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This is usually not an error. Containers are reused across journeys, and the platform supports  
the same container number existing in several shipments. In most cases the earlier shipment is  
already deactivated and therefore not shown.

Where it does cause confusion is when a shipment is tracked by container number alone, with no  
booking or B/L. Tracking by container number has no natural end point, so the container stays  
active after it has arrived, and events from its next journey can attach to the old shipment.

**What to do:** supply a booking or B/L reference wherever you have one. It scopes the tracking to  
that journey and closes it out when the journey completes. If you are tracking by container number  
because no other reference exists, expect to deactivate the tradeflow once the container arrives.

**Example**  
Someone tracks a shipment using only the container number because no booking or B/L is available. After the container arrives, the shipment remains active, and events from the container’s next journey can attach to the old shipment. Supplying a booking or B/L reference scopes tracking to that journey and closes it when complete; otherwise, deactivate the tradeflow once the container arrives.