zim.com

What is ZIM used for?

ZIM is a container shipping line: it moves manufactured goods, commodities and refrigerated cargo by sea between major global trade routes. If you are shipping freight, its main use is booking ocean transport for full containers or shared container space, with inland and port-to-port options depending on the service.

Typical uses include:

• Port-to-port container transport for businesses importing or exporting goods.
• Reefer (refrigerated) shipping for temperature-sensitive cargo such as food or pharmaceuticals.
• Scheduled liner services on trade lanes linking Asia, the Americas, Europe, the Mediterranean and other regions.
• Commercial cargo movement supported by local offices and representatives in different markets.

A practical next step is to identify your route, cargo type and whether you need temperature control, then check whether ZIM publishes a service on that lane. If your priority is the lowest possible rate on a common route, compare quotes from several carriers; if you need reefer capacity or a specific port pair, service availability matters more than headline price.

How do I book a shipment with ZIM?

Booking a shipment with ZIM normally means going through a freight forwarder or, if you have an account, through ZIM's own digital services. ZIM is a container carrier, not a parcel courier, so there is no simple "add to cart" checkout for a single box.

Two realistic paths

• Through a freight forwarder (most common for small and mid-size shippers). You give the forwarder your cargo details, they compare carriers including ZIM, book the slot, and handle the bill of lading and customs paperwork. You get one invoice and one point of contact.
• Directly with ZIM (for regular, larger-volume shippers). You register as a customer, get access to ZIM's online booking and tracking tools, and book space on a specific service and sailing yourself. This usually requires a commercial agreement and credit terms.

What you need before you start

• Cargo description, weight, and whether it needs a reefer container
• Port of loading and port of discharge, plus inland pickup/delivery if needed
• Container type and quantity (20ft, 40ft, high cube, reefer)
• Cargo ready date and any hazardous or oversized handling requirements
• Importer/exporter details for the bill of lading and customs

How to decide

A practical next step: use ZIM's website to find the local office or agent for your country and ask for a rate quote on your specific port pair. Rates and sailing schedules change weekly, so a quote tied to a named vessel and date is more useful than a general price list. If you are shipping less than a full container, ask the forwarder about consolidation, since ZIM sells container space rather than individual pallets.

What are ZIM's refrigerated container shipping options?

ZIM offers refrigerated container shipping as part of its broader container cargo services, using specialized reefer equipment to move temperature-sensitive goods along its global trade routes. The company supports this through its own local offices and representatives, which matters when a shipment needs hands-on coordination rather than a purely online booking.

Where reefer shipping fits

Reefer containers are the standard choice for cargo that must stay within a controlled temperature range for the whole journey. Typical users include:

• Food importers and exporters moving produce, meat, seafood or dairy
• Pharmaceutical and life-science shippers with strict tolerance ranges
• Floral and horticultural traders working to tight transit windows
• Chemical manufacturers shipping temperature-sensitive intermediates

For these shippers, the carrier's reefer capability is only part of the decision. Equally important are sailing frequency on the specific lane, transit time, availability of genset-equipped slots, and how quickly a container can be picked up at origin and cleared at destination.

How to choose between options

Practical next step

Start by listing your lane, commodity, required temperature range and target transit time. Then compare that against ZIM's reefer service on the specific route rather than its global network in general. If your cargo is highly perishable or regulated, ask directly about monitoring, genset availability and contingency plans for delays before booking.

Other carriers publish comparable reefer information and can serve as a benchmark: Maersk, Hapag-Lloyd and CMA CGM. Comparing two or three on your exact lane will tell you more than any general service description.

How can I track my cargo with ZIM?

Track your ZIM container through the carrier's own tracking tool, using the container number or the bill of lading (B/L) number you received from the shipper or freight forwarder. ZIM's site is built around exactly this kind of shipment visibility, alongside its cargo and reefer services: ZIM.

What you need before you start

• Container number — the four-letter, seven-digit code on the door of the box (e.g., format like ABCD 1234567).
• Bill of lading number — usually on the booking confirmation or the B/L copy your forwarder sends.
• One of these is normally enough; the container number gives you the physical box, while the B/L number follows the commercial shipment.

How the lookup usually works

1. Open ZIM's tracking page from the main site.
2. Enter the container or B/L number in the search field.
3. Read the status milestones — typically booking confirmed, empty picked up, loaded on vessel, transshipment, arrival, and discharge or gate-out.
4. Note the vessel and voyage, plus the estimated arrival date, if shown.

Practical scenario

Suppose you import furniture from Asia to a European port and your forwarder emails a B/L number. Pasting that number into ZIM's tracker tells you whether the box has actually sailed or is still waiting at the origin terminal — which is the difference between chasing your supplier and simply waiting. If you only have the container number, you can still follow the box itself, but you won't see the commercial details tied to the B/L.

Trade-offs and limits

• Container number vs. B/L number: the container number follows the steel box, so it can be reused or transferred; the B/L number follows your specific contract of carriage and is usually more reliable for a single shipment.
• Free time and demurrage: tracking tells you when the box arrives, not how many free days you have. Check your tariff or ask your forwarder, since storage charges start after free time ends.
• Accuracy: terminal and carrier data can lag by hours, especially during transshipment. Treat the status as indicative, not final.
• Reefer cargo: temperature-controlled shipments may show extra reefer status fields; if you ship perishables, confirm settings with your booking contact rather than relying on the tracker alone.

Useful next step

If a number returns no result, check for typos (the letters I, O and the digits 1, 0 are easily confused), then ask your forwarder to confirm the exact B/L or container reference. For schedule planning around the arrival date, ZIM's own service pages are the right starting point: ZIM.

What trade routes does ZIM cover?

ZIM covers all major global trade routes, according to its own description, with a network of shipping lines supported by local offices and representatives around the world. In practice, that means it positions itself as a carrier for international container cargo rather than a regional or niche operator, and it also highlights reefer (temperature-controlled) shipping as a specialty.

What "covers all major trade routes" means for you

If you are shipping commercial cargo, the useful question is not whether a carrier lists a route, but whether it offers a service pattern that fits your origin, destination, transit-time needs and volume.

• Deep-sea container shipping: The core offering is moving standard containers between major global markets. This suits importers and exporters with regular full-container or less-than-container loads.
• Reefer shipping: ZIM specifically calls out reefer services, which matters if you ship perishables, pharmaceuticals or other temperature-sensitive goods.
• Local support: The mention of local offices and representatives suggests you can get regional assistance rather than dealing only through a distant head office.

How to check a specific route

Route coverage changes with schedules, vessel deployments and seasonal demand, so a general statement about "all major trade routes" will not tell you whether your exact port pair is served this month.

1. Identify your precise origin and destination ports, not just countries.
2. Check whether you need dry, reefer or special equipment.
3. Ask about sailing frequency and transit time, since these vary by trade lane.
4. Confirm whether door-to-door or port-to-port service is available.

For a concrete example: a coffee exporter moving bags from a South American port to Europe needs reefer capacity and a reliable schedule more than a broad route map. A furniture importer shipping dry containers on the same corridor has different priorities, such as rate stability and equipment availability.

A practical next step

Use ZIM's own route or service finder on ZIM to test your specific port pair, then compare the schedule and equipment options against at least one alternative carrier on that same lane. If your cargo is temperature-sensitive, ask directly about reefer plug availability and monitoring, since that is where carriers often differ most.

How do I contact ZIM customer support?

ZIM's own site is the right starting point for customer support: ZIM. The company describes itself as a container shipping line with local offices and representatives worldwide, so the practical route is usually through the office or agent that handles your booking, port or region rather than a single global phone number.

What to look for on the site

• A Contact or Customer Service section, often with a form and a directory of local offices.
• Regional or country pages, since operational questions (schedules, documentation, equipment, reefer settings) are handled locally.
• A customer portal or e‑business login for booking, tracking and documentation; support for account issues is typically routed from there.

Before you write or call

Have these ready so the first reply can be useful:

• Bill of lading, booking or container number
• Vessel and voyage, plus the relevant port or terminal
• Your company name and the local ZIM office or agent on your booking
• A short description of the issue and any deadline, such as a cut‑off or demurrage date

Which channel to choose

As a next step, open ZIM, find the office locator or contact page, and pick the location tied to your booking rather than a general enquiry address. If you are unsure which office owns your shipment, check the contact details printed on your booking confirmation or bill of lading — that is normally the fastest and most accurate route.