The need to record and monitor the movement of goods is an essential aspect of supply chain management. Cargo owners want to know where, when and how cargo was moved and by whom, and when it is transported, handled and/or reconditioned and in what condition (e.g. damaged, packaged). Currently, the tracing of cargo through the various transport phases over sea and road is rendered less efficient because transport partners, who are part of the communication chain, use different communication protocols and recognition methods for checking the cargo. The complex manual adaptation processes that this situation requires are time-consuming and expensive.