diff --git a/frontend/src/components/DewarStepper.tsx b/frontend/src/components/DewarStepper.tsx
index edcef4d..f288021 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/DewarStepper.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/DewarStepper.tsx
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@ import AirplanemodeActiveIcon from '@mui/icons-material/AirplanemodeActive';
 import StoreIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Store';
 import RecycleIcon from '@mui/icons-material/Restore';
 import { Dewar, DewarsService } from "../../openapi";
-import { STATUS_TO_STEP, DewarStatus, getStatusStepIndex, determineIconColor } from './statusUtils'; // Utilities moved to a new file
+import { DewarStatus, getStatusStepIndex, determineIconColor } from './statusUtils'; // Utilities moved to a new file
 
 const ICON_STYLE = { width: 24, height: 24 };
 
@@ -15,6 +15,7 @@ const BottleIcon: React.FC<{ fill: string }> = ({ fill }) => (
     </svg>
 );
 
+// Define types for icons mapping.
 const ICONS: { [key: number]: React.ReactElement } = {
     0: <BottleIcon fill="grey" />,
     1: <AirplanemodeActiveIcon style={{ ...ICON_STYLE, color: 'blue' }} />,
@@ -24,6 +25,10 @@ const ICONS: { [key: number]: React.ReactElement } = {
     5: <AirplanemodeActiveIcon style={{ ...ICON_STYLE, color: 'orange' }} />,
 };
 
+interface StepIconContainerProps extends React.HTMLAttributes<HTMLDivElement> {
+    color: string;
+}
+
 const StepIconContainer: React.FC<StepIconContainerProps> = ({ color, children, ...rest }) => (
     <div style={{ color }} {...rest}>
         {children}
@@ -34,15 +39,18 @@ type StepIconComponentProps = {
     icon: number;
     dewar: Dewar;
     isSelected: boolean;
+    refreshShipments: () => void;
 } & StepIconProps;
 
-const StepIconComponent = ({ icon, dewar, isSelected, ...props }: StepIconComponentProps) => {
+const StepIconComponent = ({ icon, dewar, isSelected, refreshShipments, ...props }: StepIconComponentProps) => {
     const [anchorEl, setAnchorEl] = useState<null | HTMLElement>(null);
+
     const handleIconEnter = (event: React.MouseEvent<HTMLDivElement>) => {
         if (isSelected && icon === 0) {
             setAnchorEl(event.currentTarget);
         }
     };
+
     const handleIconLeave = () => {
         setAnchorEl(null);
     };
@@ -57,7 +65,7 @@ const StepIconComponent = ({ icon, dewar, isSelected, ...props }: StepIconCompon
                 number_of_pucks: dewar.number_of_pucks,
                 number_of_samples: dewar.number_of_samples,
                 status: status,
-                ready_date: status === 'Ready for Shipping' ? today : dewar.ready_date,
+                ready_date: status === 'Ready for Shipping' ? today : null,
                 shipping_date: dewar.shipping_date,
                 arrival_date: dewar.arrival_date,
                 returning_date: dewar.returning_date,
@@ -68,6 +76,7 @@ const StepIconComponent = ({ icon, dewar, isSelected, ...props }: StepIconCompon
 
             await DewarsService.updateDewarDewarsDewarIdPut(dewar.id || '', payload);
             setAnchorEl(null);
+            refreshShipments(); // Refresh shipments after status update
         } catch (error) {
             console.error('Failed to update dewar status:', error);
             alert('Failed to update dewar status. Please try again.');
@@ -100,7 +109,7 @@ const StepIconComponent = ({ icon, dewar, isSelected, ...props }: StepIconCompon
                     onMouseLeave: handleIconLeave,
                 }}
             >
-                {['Ready for Shipping'].map((status) => (
+                {['In Preparation', 'Ready for Shipping'].map((status) => (
                     <MenuItem key={status} onClick={() => handleStatusChange(status as DewarStatus)}>
                         {status}
                     </MenuItem>
@@ -123,9 +132,10 @@ const steps = ['In-House', 'Transit', 'At SLS', 'Returned'];
 type CustomStepperProps = {
     dewar: Dewar;
     selectedDewarId: string | null;
+    refreshShipments: () => void; // Add refreshShipments prop
 }
 
-const CustomStepper = ({ dewar, selectedDewarId }: CustomStepperProps) => {
+const CustomStepper = ({ dewar, selectedDewarId, refreshShipments }: CustomStepperProps) => {
     const activeStep = getStatusStepIndex(dewar.status as DewarStatus);
     const isSelected = dewar.id === selectedDewarId;
 
@@ -135,7 +145,7 @@ const CustomStepper = ({ dewar, selectedDewarId }: CustomStepperProps) => {
                 {steps.map((label, index) => (
                     <Step key={label}>
                         <StepLabel
-                            StepIconComponent={(stepProps) => <StepIconComponent {...stepProps} icon={index} dewar={dewar} isSelected={isSelected} />}
+                            StepIconComponent={(stepProps) => <StepIconComponent {...stepProps} icon={index} dewar={dewar} isSelected={isSelected} refreshShipments={refreshShipments} />}
                         >
                             {label}
                         </StepLabel>
diff --git a/frontend/src/components/ShipmentDetails.tsx b/frontend/src/components/ShipmentDetails.tsx
index b68f0c5..f5b7975 100644
--- a/frontend/src/components/ShipmentDetails.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/components/ShipmentDetails.tsx
@@ -311,8 +311,7 @@ const ShipmentDetails: React.FC<ShipmentDetailsProps> = ({
                                 flexDirection: 'row',
                                 justifyContent: 'space-between'
                             }}>
-                                <CustomStepper dewar={dewar} selectedDewarId={localSelectedDewar?.id} />
-
+                                <CustomStepper dewar={dewar} selectedDewarId={localSelectedDewar?.id} refreshShipments={refreshShipments} />
                             </Box>
 
 
diff --git a/frontend/src/pages/ShipmentView.tsx b/frontend/src/pages/ShipmentView.tsx
index e9a1c5a..a341483 100644
--- a/frontend/src/pages/ShipmentView.tsx
+++ b/frontend/src/pages/ShipmentView.tsx
@@ -4,6 +4,7 @@ import ShipmentPanel from '../components/ShipmentPanel';
 import ShipmentDetails from '../components/ShipmentDetails';
 import ShipmentForm from '../components/ShipmentForm';
 import { Dewar, OpenAPI, ContactPerson, ShipmentsService } from '../../openapi';
+import useShipments from '../hooks/useShipments';
 
 type ShipmentViewProps = React.PropsWithChildren<Record<string, never>>;
 
@@ -11,42 +12,10 @@ const API_BASE_URL = 'http://127.0.0.1:8000';
 OpenAPI.BASE = API_BASE_URL;  // Setting API base URL
 
 const ShipmentView: React.FC<ShipmentViewProps> = () => {
-    const [isCreatingShipment, setIsCreatingShipment] = useState(false);
+    const { shipments, error, defaultContactPerson, fetchAndSetShipments } = useShipments();
     const [selectedShipment, setSelectedShipment] = useState<ShipmentsService | null>(null);
-    const [selectedDewar, setSelectedDewar] = useState<Dewar | null>(null);
-    const [shipments, setShipments] = useState<ShipmentsService[]>([]);
-    const [error, setError] = useState<string | null>(null);
-    const [defaultContactPerson, setDefaultContactPerson] = useState<ContactPerson | undefined>();
+    const [selectedDewar, setSelectedDewar] = useState<Dewar | null>(null);const [isCreatingShipment, setIsCreatingShipment] = useState(false);
 
-    // Function to fetch and set shipments
-    const fetchAndSetShipments = async () => {
-        try {
-            const shipmentsData: ShipmentsService[] = await ShipmentsService.fetchShipmentsShipmentsGet();
-            shipmentsData.sort((a, b) => new Date(b.shipment_date).getTime() - new Date(a.shipment_date).getTime());
-            setShipments(shipmentsData);
-            console.log('Fetched and set shipments:', shipmentsData);
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.error('Failed to fetch shipments:', error);
-            setError('Failed to fetch shipments. Please try again later.');
-        }
-    };
-
-    // Function to fetch the default contact person
-    const fetchDefaultContactPerson = async () => {
-        try {
-            const contacts: ContactPerson[] = await ShipmentsService.getShipmentContactPersonsShipmentsContactPersonsGet();
-            setDefaultContactPerson(contacts[0]);
-        } catch (error) {
-            console.error('Failed to fetch contact persons:', error);
-            setError('Failed to load contact persons. Please try again later.');
-        }
-    };
-
-    // Use effects to fetch data on component mount
-    useEffect(() => {
-        fetchAndSetShipments();
-        fetchDefaultContactPerson();
-    }, []);
 
     useEffect(() => {
         console.log('Updated shipments:', shipments);