A delivery order (D/O) is the release document issued by the carrier or its agent authorising the terminal or depot to hand a specific import container to the named party. It is issued after the bill of lading is surrendered or released and outstanding charges are paid.
The D/O is where paperwork converts into a physical pick-up right. In many ports it has become an electronic release: a PIN or reference transmitted to the terminal that the trucker presents at the gate, rather than a paper slip. Either way, no valid release means no gate-out, regardless of customs status.
For consolidated cargo the chain doubles: the carrier issues its release to the consolidator against the master bill, and the consolidator issues delivery orders to each importer against the house bills.
A container that is discharged, customs-cleared, and still not moving is very often waiting on the D/O or its PIN. In TrackingMCP that appears as a lengthening gap between discharge and gate-out while free time burns. Watching that gap per container tells you when to chase the release rather than the customs broker.
A delivery order (D/O) is the release document issued by the carrier or its agent authorising the terminal or depot to hand a specific import container to the named party. It is issued after the bill of lading is surrendered or released and outstanding charges are paid.
Typically surrender or telex release of the original bill of lading (or a sea waybill consignee’s identity), payment of collect freight and local charges, and any deposits the agent requires. Requirements vary by carrier and port.
Functionally yes in ports that have digitised release: the PIN transmitted to the terminal replaces the paper order. The authorisation logic, pay and present then pick up, is unchanged.
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More in Bills of lading & documents: Bill of lading (B/L) · Telex release · Sea waybill · Switch bill of lading · House vs master bill of lading · Arrival notice · Letter of credit (L/C) · Browse all 106 terms →