I've asked. Our receipt shows a count but no individual crate identifiers. The delivered crate label matches the arm; it does not answer where the tooling crate went.

Send that label and receipt together with the packing list. Ask for the last handover actually recorded for the tooling crate. A combined shipment status can remain delivered while one component of the consignment is still unexplained.

The seller supplied a packing photograph of the tooling crate. That confirms a label was attached, but it still doesn't show a handover to the forwarder. I've asked for that record specifically.

Correct. Packed is not handed over. Keep the missing identifier in the subject of the trace.

Jamie, useful, but include any consolidation reference too. The warehouse may search under that reference rather than the seller's crate label. Ask them to establish the link instead of assuming the label is their primary key.

I have sent both references and asked for the link. No last confirmed location yet. We are planning around incomplete delivery; the photograph hasn't changed what is available on our floor.

Has the carrier explained what its receipt count actually counts: crates, pallets or consolidated units?