It is extraordinary, if you go to vessel tracker.com and down load a tiny piece of software, it allows you to search for any merchant vessel on Google Earth. The free version imposes a 24 hour delay on information but the pro gives you minute by minute tracking. I have stuff on a ship which left Melbourne on 24th March. It is now in Freemantle and due to arrive in Tilbury on 29th April. You can follow it too: MAERSK GARONNE