Get an API key, authenticate your requests and connect AI assistants via MCP.
The Cargoboard API lets you automate quoting, booking and shipment tracking directly from your own systems — covering groupage, LTL and FTL shipments, ADR/dangerous goods, and B2B and B2C deliveries. Every request is authenticated with an API key.
Prefer working with AI? With the same API key you can also connect AI assistants such as Claude to Cargoboard via our MCP server — see Connecting AI assistants (MCP) below.
Getting an API key
- Already have an account? If the API is activated for your account, find your key on the user settings page.
- No key yet? Request one from your personal Cargoboard contact, or reach out directly to Patrick at [email protected].
The sandbox and production environment use different keys — see Test and Production System.
Keep your key secretYour API key grants full access to the API and does not expire on its own. Treat it like a password: keep it out of client-side code, public repositories and logs.
Authenticating requests
Send your API key in the X-API-KEY header with every request:
curl --request GET \
--url https://api-sandbox.cargoboard.com/v1/orders \
--header 'X-API-KEY: YourKeyHere'Requests without a valid X-API-KEY header are rejected with 403 Forbidden — see Error Messages.
Connecting AI assistants (MCP)
In addition to the REST API, Cargoboard provides a server for the Model Context Protocol (MCP). It lets MCP-compatible AI assistants — for example Claude Code — request quotes, book shipments, look up orders, check shipment status and print shipping labels for you, using your existing Cargoboard API key.
Requirements
- A valid Cargoboard API key (see Getting an API key)
- An MCP-compatible AI assistant — the example below uses Claude Code
Connect
MCP server URL:
https://cargo-mcp-customer-prod-by5hmotcna-ey.a.run.app/mcpRun the following command once in your terminal to add the Cargoboard MCP server to Claude Code. Replace YourKeyHere with your API key:
claude mcp add --transport http cargoboard https://cargo-mcp-customer-prod-by5hmotcna-ey.a.run.app/mcp --header "Authorization: Bearer YourKeyHere"
Different authentication headerThe MCP server expects your API key as
Authorization: Bearer YourKeyHere— not in theX-API-KEYheader used by the REST API.
Your API key is part of the MCP configuration. Treat it like a password: don't share the command in public chats or tickets, and don't commit MCP configuration files containing the key to a repository.
Available tools
| Tool | What it does | Key inputs |
|---|---|---|
create_quotation | Creates a new quotation (price request) | Product, shipper and consignee, postal codes and country codes, plus one or more shipment lines (package type, dimensions, weight) and optional services — see below |
get_quotation | Returns the details of a quotation | quotationId |
create_order | Books a new transport order | Product, complete shipper and consignee addresses, one or more shipment lines and optional services — see below |
get_order | Returns the details of an order | orderId |
get_tracking | Returns the shipment status of an order | orderId |
print_shipment_labels | Generates shipping labels for an order | orderId; optional format A4 or A6 |
Supported product values for create_quotation and create_order: STANDARD, EXPRESS, EXPRESS_8, EXPRESS_10, EXPRESS_12, EXPRESS_16, FIX, FIX_8, FIX_10, FIX_12, FIX_16 and DIRECT — see Shipment Products.
What quotations and orders support
create_quotation and create_order accept the same shipment details as the REST API:
- Multiple lines per shipment — describe different goods in one shipment, each line with its own package type, dimensions, weight and content. See Package types and measurement.
- Pallet exchange and stackability — state whether the goods are stackable and whether you want a pallet exchange. Both have an impact on billing.
- Tail lift — request a truck with tail lift for pickup and/or delivery.
- Pickup and delivery handling, including time windows — for example a pickup time window, contact or a driver call before delivery, delivery without the consignee being present, and notes for pickup and delivery. See Provide Shipper and Consignee Information.
- Dangerous goods (ADR) — add the ADR data to the shipment line that contains the dangerous goods. See Dangerous Goods for the required fields and restrictions.
Additional services can affect the price. Your assistant should include them when it requests a quotation, so that the quoted price matches the booking.
Live systemThe MCP server is connected to the Cargoboard production system.
create_ordercreates a real, billable transport order. Before booking, have your assistant summarize all order details and only confirm once you have checked them. For integration testing, use the REST API sandbox athttps://api-sandbox.cargoboard.com.
Example prompts
- "Get me a Cargoboard quote for 2 euro pallets, 120 × 80 × 150 cm, 400 kg each, from 10115 Berlin (DE) to 80331 Munich (DE)."
- "Get me a quote for two shipment lines: 2 stackable euro pallets with pallet exchange, and 1 wooden crate. Pickup in Berlin between 8:00 and 14:00, delivery to Munich with a tail lift truck."
- "Show me the details of order 123456."
- "What is the current status of order 123456?"
- "Print the A6 shipping labels for order 123456."
Troubleshooting
If the connection or a tool call fails, check in this order:
- Is exactly the MCP URL above configured (ending in
/mcp)? - Is your API key sent as
Authorization: Bearer YourKeyHere? - Is your API key still valid and is the API activated for your account?
- Are all required fields of the tool present and are formats and values (e.g. product) valid?
Support
Questions about authentication, your integration or MCP? Contact Patrick from the Cargoboard API team at [email protected] — he replies quickly and is happy to help you get set up.