Does the Delivery Order affect demurrage and detention?

Yes. A late DO can cause containers to miss their Last Free Day (LFD), triggering demurrage. Slow pickup after DO issuance may also lead to detention charges on empty return.

Delivery Order (DO) Explained (2025) — Cargo Release, Port Pickup & Container Control Updated Dec 2025

Q: Who issues the Delivery Order (DO)?

A Delivery Order is issued by the ocean carrier, NVOCC, or freight forwarder that controls the import shipment at destination. In some inland or LCL setups, a ramp agent or CFS acts on behalf of the carrier.

Q: Is the Delivery Order the same as the arrival notice?

No. An arrival notice is only a notification of arrival and charges due. A Delivery Order is the actual release authorization allowing terminals or CFS depots to hand over cargo or containers.

Q: Can I pick up my container without a DO?

Most terminals require a valid Delivery Order or equivalent electronic release before allowing a full container to gate out or LCL cargo to be released, even if customs clearance is complete.

Q: Why is my DO delayed?

Common causes include unpaid freight or local charges, B/L surrender issues, customs holds, mismatched documentation, or DO emails not reaching the operational team.

Source: U.S. Customs & Border Protection (CBP), Federal Maritime Commission (FMC), major ocean carriers and NVOCCs, North America and EU port procedures, and WinsBS Research (2025).

What Is a Delivery Order (DO) in Shipping?

View Industry Definition & Context

A Delivery Order (DO) is the cargo release document (or electronic instruction) issued by an ocean carrier, NVOCC, or freight forwarder that authorizes the terminal, CFS, or depot to deliver goods or containers to the named consignee or its trucker。

In modern operations, the DO may be a PDF, an EDI/API message, or a terminal system update rather than a paper slip。 Regardless of format, no valid DO usually means no pickup — even if the cargo has already arrived and cleared customs。

For FCL: the DO authorizes release of one or more full containers from the port or inland ramp。
For LCL / CFS: the DO authorizes release of less-than-container-load cargo from a CFS or warehouse。

Operationally, DO sits between arrival notice and physical pickup。 Charges like freight, documentation, and DO fee are often settled before DO is issued。

“The Delivery Order is the carrier’s formal ‘yes’ to terminal release. Without a valid DO, truckers cannot gate out containers — even when the shipment has a clean CBP entry, zero holds, and free time ticking down.”
— WinsBS Research, US Import Release Workflow Benchmark 2025

DO vs Arrival Notice, B/L & Release Documents

Document	Main Purpose	How It Relates to DO
Arrival Notice (AN)	Notice that cargo is arriving or has arrived, showing charges due and basic shipment details。	AN is an information notice and preliminary bill。It does not authorize cargo pickup。 DO is usually issued after AN charges are paid。
Bill of Lading (B/L)	Contract of carriage and, for negotiable B/Ls, a title document for the goods。	For negotiable B/Ls, DO is typically issued only after original B/L is surrendered or telex release is confirmed。
Telex Release / Surrender	Confirmation that the shipper has surrendered original B/L at origin, allowing release at destination without paper originals。	Once telex release is registered, the carrier’s local office can issue DO based on electronic release status。
Customs Release	Clearance by CBP or other customs authorities after ISF, manifests, and entries are filed。	DO issuance may require customs release。Even with DO in hand, terminals may block gate-out for customs holds。
Delivery Order (DO)	Final release instruction from carrier/NVOCC/forwarder to the terminal or depot to deliver cargo or containers。	DO is the operational “go” for truckers and warehouses — it closes the gap between paperwork and physical pickup。

For e-commerce importers, the DO is where documentation, customs, and port operations converge。 A delayed DO can push containers beyond Last Free Day (LFD), triggering demurrage and detention costs even when cargo has technically “arrived”。

How a Typical DO Workflow Looks (FCL Import)

Step	Key Action	DO-Related Notes
1. Vessel Arrival & Discharge	Container is discharged from the vessel and becomes available in the terminal system。	Triggers ETA actuals, free time start, and terminal availability。
2. Arrival Notice Issued	Carrier or NVOCC sends an arrival notice to the consignee or forwarder with charges and basic details。	Shows where to pay freight, documentation, and DO fee; does not itself allow pickup。
3. Freight & Local Charges Paid	Consignee or forwarder settles ocean freight balance, documentation, and DO-related fees。	Many carriers require all local charges to be fully paid before DO is released。
4. Customs Clearance	Customs broker files entry, duties, and taxes; CBP and partner agencies clear the cargo。	Some carriers issue DO only after customs release; others allow DO but terminals still hold cargo until customs is clear。
5. DO Issued	Carrier, NVOCC, or forwarder issues DO (paper, PDF, or electronic release) with pickup details。	DO shows container numbers, terminal/CY, depot, and validity window for pickup。
6. Trucking & Gate-Out	Trucker books terminal appointment, presents DO or uses DO reference to gate out the container(s)。	Without a valid DO and matching release status, gate systems typically block moves。

For high-volume e-commerce flows, DO processing should be mirrored into OMS and WMS tasks, not just left in inboxes and PDF folders。

Regional Patterns & DO Practices (2025)

View Trade Lane DO Characteristics

Region / Scenario	Key Actors	DO Considerations
Asia → US Ports (FCL)	Carriers, NVOCCs, terminals, customs brokers	DO is typically issued by the carrier or its NVOCC/forwarder partner once freight and local charges are paid。 Terminals rely on electronic release status rather than a paper DO at the gate, but trucking still needs DO details for appointments。 WinsBS case studies show that late DO issuance in US ports is a top driver of missed LFD for small e-commerce importers。
Asia → US Inland Ramps (Rail)	Rail ramps, inland depots, IPI carriers	DO may be controlled by the rail operator, an inland agent, or the original ocean carrier, depending on the IPI setup。 Split responsibilities between coastal port and inland ramp can cause confusion about which DO controls which container location。 Late DO for ramp cargo often collides with tighter free time and higher inland demurrage rates。
Asia → EU Hubs (FCL & LCL)	EU customs brokers, forwarders, CFS operators	Many EU terminals rely on electronic release messages rather than physical DO slips, but local forwarders still issue DO-like instructions to truckers and CFS warehouses。 For LCL, the DO may point to a CFS with its own storage and handling fee schedule, separate from port charges。 VAT, EORI, and IOSS/IOSS-like obligations mean DO often ties into tax representation workflows。
Port → FBA / 3PL Warehouse	3PLs, Amazon FCs, drayage carriers	DO validity must line up with inbound appointments for FBA and 3PL warehouses。 If DO arrives after appointment confirmation, brands may pay extra storage or reschedule appointments at peak seasons。 WinsBS recommends synchronizing DO status with warehouse receiving calendars and FBA prep plans to avoid last-minute changes。
LCL / CFS-Based Shipments	CFS depots, forwarders, consolidators	DO may specify CFS address, contact, and cargo reference instead of container numbers when cargo is deconsolidated。 Small e-commerce importers often underestimate CFS storage charges that start after DO validity windows expire。 Clean ASN data and pre-booked CFS pickup reduce both dwell and handling disputes。

Expert Insight — Why DO Timing Decides Whether Your Shipment Really “Arrived”

View Analyst Commentary

Maxwell Anderson, Editor-in-Chief & Data Director, WinsBS Research:

1. Arrival without DO is just cargo parked at the port。
We routinely see teams celebrate vessel arrival and “available” status while the Delivery Order is still pending with the carrier or forwarder。 In free time models that use calendar days, every day spent waiting for DO quietly eats margin。

2. DO bottlenecks are usually process problems, not customs drama。
In our data, many “DO delays” trace back to missing remittance proofs, unclear payer instructions, or simple email routing failures。 Customs holds get blamed, but in reality the cargo could have been released earlier if DO workflows were automated。

3. FCL, LCL, and inland ramps all speak slightly different DO dialects。
Successful importers document who issues DO for each lane — carrier, NVOCC, inland agent, or CFS — and track DO status as a KPI alongside ETA and LFD。 When DO is just a PDF attachment, nobody owns the risk。

4. E-commerce sellers should treat DO as a system status, not a file。
In modern stacks, DO should be represented as a “release flag” in OMS/WMS, feeding drayage and warehouse scheduling。 The moment DO is issued, truck capacity and appointment slots should update automatically — not after someone forwards an email。

5. The cheapest freight quote loses its advantage when DO and release are slow。
WinsBS benchmarks indicate that slightly higher ocean rates with predictable DO and release workflows often result in lower total landed cost than discount rates that cause last-minute scrambles and demurrage/detention surprises。 Reliability around DO is a core part of cost modeling, not an afterthought。

— WinsBS Research, Delivery Order & Release Workflow Benchmark for E-commerce Imports 2025

Risk Radar — DO-Related Risks (2025)

View Critical Risk Scenarios

Delivery Order (DO) FAQ — Common Questions from Importers & E-commerce Brands

Who issues the Delivery Order (DO)?

DO is usually issued by the ocean carrier, NVOCC, or freight forwarder that controls the shipment at destination。 In some IPI or LCL setups, an inland agent or CFS operator may handle DO-like release instructions on behalf of the main carrier。

Is the Delivery Order the same as the arrival notice?

No。Arrival notice is a notice of arrival and charges。 Delivery Order is the actual release authorization to the terminal or CFS。 You typically receive the arrival notice first, then DO after paying the required charges and completing release steps。

Can I pick up my container without a DO?

In most cases, no。Terminals require a valid DO or equivalent electronic release status before allowing a trucker to gate out a full container or release LCL cargo。 Even if customs is clear, a missing DO will usually block pickup and risk demurrage or storage fees。

Why is my DO delayed?

Common causes include unpaid freight or local charges, confusion over who is paying what, pending customs release, incomplete surrender of the original B/L, or documentation mismatches between B/L and arrival notice。 In some cases, DO is issued on time but “lost” in email chains, which functionally creates a delay for operations。

Is DO always a paper document?

No。Many carriers and terminals have moved to electronic DO via EDI/API connections or web portals。 Truckers rely on reference numbers and release status in terminal systems, while importers still receive PDFs or email confirmations as evidence that DO has been issued。

Does DO affect my demurrage and detention?

Indirectly, yes。If DO is issued late or not routed to the right team, containers may sit in the terminal beyond LFD, triggering demurrage。 Delayed pickup or slow unloading can then push empty return beyond equipment LFD, triggering detention fees。

Turn Delivery Orders from Bottlenecks into a Controlled Release Workflow

For cross-border e-commerce, a Delivery Order is often the invisible reason why “arrived” cargo still isn’t moving into your 3PL or FBA pipeline。 A DO that lands late, goes to the wrong inbox, or doesn’t match terminal records can quietly trigger port storage, extra trucking, and overtime in your warehouse。

WinsBS helps brands turn DO from a manual document into a measurable, automated release step by:

Mapping who issues DO on each lane (carrier, NVOCC, inland agent, CFS) and standardizing instructions into OMS and WMS tasks rather than loose emails。
Aligning DO issuance with customs clearance, free time, and LFD so port pulls and ramp moves are scheduled before storage fees even have a chance to start。
Coordinating drayage partners, appointment calendars, and depot cutoffs so that DO timing does not collide with FBA or 3PL receiving constraints。
Feeding DO-related delays and extra fees into your landed cost models, so high-risk lanes, partners, and terminals become visible and adjustable。
Designing DO-aware routing where you choose not only by base freight rate but also by release reliability and historical DO performance across carriers and trade lanes。

When DO is treated as a one-off document, brands keep paying “mysterious” port and depot charges。 WinsBS turns DO, customs release, LFD, demurrage, and detention into one integrated release workflow tied directly to your e-commerce SLAs and campaign calendar。

Get Started for Free →

WinsBS Blog Insights

Delivery Order (DO) release workflow diagram — WinsBS visual reference

DO 101: Delivery Orders, Release Rules & Who Really Controls Pickup

Practical explanation of how carriers, NVOCCs, and terminals handle DO issuance, with real-world timelines from vessel arrival to truck gate-out on e-commerce lanes。

Read Full Guide →

Cost chart showing DO delays causing demurrage and detention — WinsBS visual reference

How DO Delays Quietly Trigger Demurrage & Detention

WinsBS Research case studies where DO timing — not customs — drove 3–6 extra days of port storage and per diem fees, plus playbooks to eliminate the pattern。

View Analysis →

System dashboard linking ETA, customs, DO, and warehouse appointments — WinsBS visual reference

Designing DO-Aware Flows for FBA, FBM & 3PL Networks

How to connect ETA, customs release, DO status, and inbound appointments so your import and fulfillment teams see the same picture and avoid last-minute port firefighting。

View Benchmarks →

Content Attribution & License

General definitions and public references are shared under the CC BY-SA 4.0 License。

Analytical insights and commentary labeled “WinsBS Research” are © WinsBS Research (2025) and licensed exclusively to WinsBS Wiki。

Data sources include CBP and DHS guidance on import procedures, FMC references on demurrage and detention practices, major carrier and terminal tariffs, and WinsBS Research datasets on DO timing, free time, and landed cost performance。

* Information verified as of December 2025。WinsBS Research assumes no liability for regulatory, tariff, or operational changes after publication。