> ## Documentation Index
> Fetch the complete documentation index at: https://terminal49-mintlify-77e9045b.mintlify.site/llms.txt
> Use this file to discover all available pages before exploring further.

# Start Here: Track Shipments with the Terminal49 API

> Set up Terminal49 API access, generate an API key, and make your first tracking request to start monitoring ocean shipments and containers.

This getting-started path walks you through a first successful Terminal49 integration:

1. Get an API key.
2. Create a tracking request for a bill of lading, booking, or container number.
3. List the shipment and container data Terminal49 stores for you.
4. Register a webhook so your system receives updates when data changes.

By the end, you will have made an authenticated request to the API and seen the basic request/response shape used by the rest of the documentation.

## Before you start

You need:

* A Terminal49 account with API access.
* A shipment identifier from a carrier: master Bill of Lading (BOL), booking number, or container number.
* The carrier Standard Carrier Alpha Code (SCAC), unless you plan to use carrier auto-detection.

You can use any HTTP client. [Postman](https://www.postman.com/) is useful for a first pass because it can run the published OpenAPI collection with your API key.

<Card title="Run in Postman" icon="caret-right" href="https://www.postman.com/terminal49-api/terminal49-api/collection/x2podso/terminal49-api-reference-public">
  Explore the Terminal49 API with the published Postman collection.
</Card>

## Get an API key

Sign in to your Terminal49 account and go to the [developer portal](https://app.terminal49.com/developers/api-keys) to get your API key.

<Warning>
  The full API key value is only shown once, right after you create it. Copy the complete token from that screen and store it somewhere safe (for example, a password manager or your deployment's secret manager) before you navigate away. Once you leave the page, the key is masked and cannot be revealed again.

  If you did not capture the full value, create a new key and copy it immediately. You can then delete the older key from the [developer portal](https://app.terminal49.com/developers/api-keys).
</Warning>

## Send the Authorization header

The API uses a Token-prefixed API key in the `Authorization` header. Send it with every request:

```http theme={null}
Authorization: Token YOUR_API_KEY
```

<Tip>
  Keep your API key on your server. Do not put it in browser code or public repositories.
</Tip>

## Continue the tutorial

<Card title="Create a tracking request" icon="ship" href="/api-docs/getting-started/tracking-shipments-and-containers">
  Send your first shipment identifier to Terminal49.
</Card>