Arrival Notice and Delivery Order (D/O) Explained

Every import shipment ends with the same practical question: the vessel has arrived, so how do I actually get my goods out of the port? The answer runs through two documents that importers often mix up. The arrival notice tells you the cargo is here and what you owe. The delivery order, usually shortened to D/O, is what the carrier issues once you have satisfied its release conditions, and it is the instruction that lets the terminal or the CFS warehouse hand the cargo to you or your trucker. Many importers search for a delivery order only when a truck is waiting at the gate and the terminal refuses to release the container. This guide explains the document flow from start to finish so that does not happen: what an arrival notice contains and what to check on it, what must be settled before a D/O is issued, how the D/O relates to the original bill of lading, a telex release and a sea waybill, and how the process differs between a full container (FCL) and a shared container (LCL). It describes the structure that applies at Thai ports in general terms. Exact charges, free time and system procedures vary by carrier, terminal and contract, so confirm the current details with the shipping line's local agent, your forwarder or your customs broker.

What is an arrival notice in shipping?

An arrival notice is a notification sent by the carrier, or by the forwarder that issued your house bill of lading, telling the consignee and notify party that a shipment is due or has arrived at the port of discharge. It lists the shipment details and the charges to be paid at destination.

Think of the arrival notice as the carrier saying: your goods are on this vessel, they will be discharged here around this date, and here is what you need to settle before we hand them over. It is not a release document. You cannot take it to the terminal and collect a container with it. Its job is to inform you and to start the release process.

Who sends it depends on how the shipment was booked. If the importer or its forwarder is named on the master bill of lading issued by the shipping line, the line's local agent usually sends the notice. If you bought on terms where the seller's forwarder booked the shipment and issued you a house bill of lading, the arrival notice normally comes from that forwarder's agent in Thailand, which in turn deals with the shipping line. Many importers receive two notices, one from the line to the forwarder and one from the forwarder to them, and it helps to know which one governs your release. Our guide to master versus house bills of lading explains the two layers, and the guide to shipper, consignee and notify party explains who receives what.

A typical arrival notice contains:

• The consignee and notify party, copied from the bill of lading
• The bill of lading number (master, house, or both)
• Vessel name, voyage number, port of loading and port of discharge
• Estimated time of arrival, and sometimes the terminal or berth
• Container numbers, seal numbers and container types for FCL, or the house B/L and CFS warehouse for LCL
• Marks and numbers, package count, gross weight and volume
• A cargo description
• Freight terms, showing whether ocean freight was prepaid or is collect
• A list of destination charges and how to pay them

The notice is often sent before the vessel arrives, which is useful: it gives you time to fix problems, arrange payment and prepare the import declaration while the ship is still at sea. Do not rely on it arriving automatically, though. Notices go to the email address on file, and if the notify party details on the B/L were wrong or a contact has changed, nobody receives it. If you know a shipment is on the water and you have not seen a notice as the ETA approaches, ask the carrier or forwarder for it.

What should you check on an arrival notice?

Check every identifying field against your bill of lading, commercial invoice and packing list on the day the notice arrives, and query anything that does not match before you pay or file the import declaration.

The arrival notice is generated from the carrier's manifest data, and the same data feeds the cargo manifest that is transmitted to Thai Customs. If the notice shows the wrong consignee name, a different package count or a weight that does not match your packing list, the same discrepancy probably sits in the manifest, and your import declaration will have to reconcile with it. Catching it at the notice stage gives you the most time to fix it, usually through a manifest amendment requested by the carrier, which can take time and may carry a charge.

Work through the notice in this order:

• Consignee and notify party. The consignee name must match the importer on your import declaration. A wrong or abbreviated name is one of the most common reasons a D/O is delayed.
• Bill of lading number and type. Note whether the number is a master or a house B/L, and whether the B/L is an original, a telex release or a sea waybill. That determines your release route.
• Vessel, voyage, port of discharge and ETA. Confirm the cargo is discharging at the port your trucker and broker expect, for example Laem Chabang rather than Bangkok Port.
• Container and seal numbers for FCL. These must match what the shipper reported. A seal number difference is worth questioning before the container is opened.
• Marks, packages, weight and volume. Compare them with the packing list. Small rounding differences are normal; a different package count is not.
• Cargo description. It should be consistent with the invoice. A vague or different description can trigger questions at customs.
• Freight terms. If you bought on CIF or CFR terms, ocean freight should be prepaid. If the notice shows freight collect, query it before paying, because it may mean the seller did not pay or the terms were recorded wrongly.
• Charges. Read each line and ask about anything you do not recognise. Our guides to destination charges and local charges in Thailand explain the usual categories, such as terminal handling, documentation and D/O fees, and CFS charges for LCL.

Keep the arrival notice with your shipment file. It is evidence of when you were notified, which matters if there is a later dispute about storage, demurrage or detention.

What is a delivery order (D/O)?

A delivery order is an instruction issued by the carrier, or by its agent or the consolidator, to the party holding the cargo, typically the terminal operator or a CFS warehouse, to release specified goods to a named party or their representative.

The D/O is where the carrier's obligation to deliver turns into a practical release. Under the bill of lading, the carrier promised to deliver the goods at destination to the party entitled to them. The D/O is how it does that: the carrier confirms who is entitled, checks that its conditions are met, and then tells the terminal or warehouse to hand the cargo over.

A D/O usually identifies the bill of lading number, the vessel and voyage, the containers or packages to be released, the party to whom release is authorised, and sometimes a validity period or the depot where the empty container must be returned. In Thailand, many carriers and terminals now handle the D/O electronically: instead of a printed paper slip, the release is recorded in the carrier's or terminal's system and the trucker presents a reference. Some still use paper or a mix. Ask your carrier or forwarder which format they use and what your trucker needs to show at the gate.

Three points about the D/O are often misunderstood:

• It is not a customs document. The D/O tells the terminal that the carrier has released the cargo. It says nothing about whether customs has released it. Thai Customs release comes from the import declaration being processed, duties and taxes paid and any inspection completed, through the customs system. The terminal will normally require both.
• It is not the bill of lading. The B/L is the contract of carriage and, in its original negotiable form, a document of title. The D/O is issued against the B/L, once the B/L's release conditions are met.
• It is not open-ended. A D/O may carry a validity date, and terminal storage and container demurrage continue to run while you hold it. Getting the D/O is not the finish line; collecting the cargo is.

What must be settled before the carrier issues a D/O?

Two things: the bill of lading must be in a releasable state for you, and the carrier's or forwarder's charges must be paid. Some carriers also require a container deposit or other security, and an authorisation letter if an agent collects on your behalf.

The first condition depends on the type of bill of lading:

• Original B/L. If the shipment travels on a negotiable original bill of lading, the carrier will release only against surrender of the original, usually one original from the set, properly endorsed if the B/L was issued to order. If the originals are still with the seller, with your bank under a letter of credit, or in a courier envelope, you cannot get the D/O, however urgent the shipment is.
• Telex release (surrendered B/L). The shipper surrenders the originals to the carrier at origin, and the carrier records that the cargo may be released at destination without originals. The destination office then issues the D/O once its other conditions are met. Our guide to what a telex release is covers the mechanics. The common hold-up is simply that the shipper has not yet surrendered the originals or the origin office has not yet sent the release.
• Sea waybill. A sea waybill is not a document of title, so no original needs to be surrendered. The carrier releases to the named consignee once identity and charges are confirmed.

The second condition is payment. Destination charges commonly include terminal handling, documentation and D/O fees, any freight collect, and for LCL the CFS and handling charges. The carrier or forwarder normally will not release the D/O until its invoice is settled, or until you have a credit arrangement with it. Under some terms the seller has already paid part of these charges, so check your Incoterm against the invoice before paying twice; our guide to destination charges explains which party typically bears which charge under common terms.

Other conditions that can apply:

• An authorisation letter if your customs broker or trucker collects the D/O on your behalf
• A container deposit or other security, which some lines ask for to secure the return of the empty container
• Company documents to identify the consignee, especially the first time you deal with that carrier

All of these can be done before the vessel arrives. The most efficient importers send payment and documents as soon as the arrival notice is checked, so the D/O is ready on or near the day of discharge.

How does the D/O process differ for FCL and LCL?

For FCL, the shipping line's agent issues the D/O and you collect the whole container from the container yard. For LCL there are two layers: the line issues a master D/O to the consolidator, which devans the container at a CFS and issues a house D/O to each consignee.

With a full container load, the flow is short. The shipping line's agent in Thailand, or your forwarder acting as the B/L party, issues the D/O for the container. Your trucker collects the full container from the container yard at the terminal, delivers it to your premises for unloading, and returns the empty container to the depot named by the line. Free time for the container, which covers both time at the terminal and time out with you, is set by the line or by your contract. Once it runs out, demurrage and detention charges apply; our guide to demurrage versus detention explains the difference.

With LCL, your cargo shares a container with other consignees' goods, and nobody can take the whole box. The sequence is longer:

• The shipping line issues the master D/O to the consolidator (the NVOCC or forwarder that consolidated the container), against the master B/L.
• The consolidator moves the container from the terminal to a CFS warehouse and devans it, sorting the cargo by house bill of lading.
• The consolidator or its agent issues the arrival notice and, once your release conditions are met, a house D/O for your specific packages.
• You or your trucker collect the loose cargo from the CFS, presenting the house D/O and the customs release.

This is why LCL consignees often see two sets of charges: the consolidator passes on terminal and devanning costs and adds its own CFS and D/O charges. It is also why LCL release can take longer than FCL, because the container must first be moved and unpacked before your cargo is available. Our guides to what LCL shipping is, the LCL consolidation process and CFS versus CY in Thailand explain the warehouse side in more depth.

One practical point: for LCL, the house D/O is only as fast as the consolidator's master release. If the consolidator has not settled with the line, or another consignee's issue holds the container at the terminal, your goods wait too. Ask the consolidator when the container is expected at the CFS and when devanning is planned, not only when the vessel arrives.

How do the D/O and customs release fit together?

The D/O is the carrier's release and the customs release is the government's. The terminal or CFS will let cargo leave only when it has both, so file the import declaration while you are arranging the D/O, not afterwards.

At a Thai port, getting cargo out involves two independent gates. The carrier's gate is the D/O. The customs gate is the outcome of the import declaration: your customs broker files the import declaration through the Thai Customs Department's electronic system, duties and taxes are assessed and paid, and the declaration is either released directly or routed for document review or physical inspection. Our guides to the Thai import declaration and to how Thailand's e-Customs system works explain this side.

The two gates use some of the same data. The import declaration must reference the bill of lading and must match the manifest that the carrier submitted. That is why the checks in the arrival notice section matter: a consignee name, package count or weight that does not match the manifest can hold the declaration, even if the D/O is ready.

The efficient sequence is parallel:

• When the arrival notice arrives, send the invoice, packing list, B/L copy and any permits or certificate of origin to your customs broker so they can prepare the declaration.
• At the same time, settle the B/L release and pay the carrier's charges so the D/O can be issued.
• File the declaration as soon as the system allows, pay duties and taxes, and handle any inspection.
• Book the trucker once both the D/O and the customs release are in place, or are expected on a known day.

If you wait for the D/O before starting customs, or the other way round, you add days of terminal storage and container time for no benefit. If one gate is delayed, such as the originals still being in transit, tell your broker so they do not book an inspection slot or a truck that cannot be used.

What usually delays a delivery order?

Most D/O delays come from a handful of causes: original bills of lading not yet surrendered, unpaid or disputed charges, name mismatches, a missing telex release from origin, and for LCL, a consolidator that has not yet obtained its own release.

When a D/O does not appear, work out which condition is missing rather than chasing generally. The common causes are:

• Originals stuck in transit or with the bank. Under a letter of credit, the originals go through the banks, and they may reach you after the vessel, especially on short sea routes such as China or Southeast Asia to Thailand. If this happens repeatedly, discuss a telex release or sea waybill with your supplier for future shipments, where the payment terms allow it. Some carriers will release against a bank letter of indemnity in place of missing originals, but that is a commercial decision for the carrier and involves its own documents and costs; ask before relying on it.
• Telex release not sent. The shipper may have paid and asked for a telex release, but the origin office has not sent it. Ask the shipper for the carrier's release confirmation, and ask the destination agent whether it shows in their system.
• Charges disputed or unpaid. If you dispute a line on the invoice, the carrier may hold the D/O until it is paid. It is often faster to pay under protest and pursue the dispute separately, but decide that with your own commercial judgment.
• Name or detail mismatch. If the consignee on the B/L is not the company presenting itself, the carrier may require an amendment or additional authorisation.
• Freight collect not settled. If the notice shows freight collect, the carrier will not release until it is paid by someone.
• LCL master release delayed. The consolidator's own release from the line, or devanning at the CFS, may be what is holding your cargo.

Every day of delay can add terminal storage and container charges. If a delay is likely, tell the carrier and your broker early, ask whether free time can be extended, and get any agreement in writing.

What happens after you have the D/O?

Present the D/O and the customs release to the terminal or CFS, collect the cargo, and for FCL return the empty container to the designated depot within free time. Keep the gate documents as proof of when the cargo left and when the empty came back.

Collection is where the paperwork meets the truck. For FCL, your trucker books a pick-up slot where the terminal requires one, presents the D/O reference and the customs release, and receives the container with an equipment interchange record noting its condition. Note any damage or seal issue on that record before leaving. At your premises, check the seal number against the B/L before opening, unload, and photograph anything unusual. Then return the empty to the depot named on the D/O or in the carrier's instructions, again with a record of its condition.

For LCL, the trucker presents the house D/O and customs release at the CFS warehouse, and the warehouse releases the packages under that house B/L. Count the packages and inspect them before signing the warehouse delivery record. If anything is short or damaged, note it on the record. Our guides to cargo damaged in transit and to proof of delivery explain why those notes matter for a claim.

After collection, close the file: reconcile the carrier's invoice, the customs entry and the delivery record, and confirm any container deposit is refunded once the empty has been returned in acceptable condition. If you use a forwarder such as Thai Global Freight (TGF), it can coordinate the D/O, customs handoff and trucking as one sequence so that the gates line up. Either way, the principle is the same: the arrival notice starts the clock, the D/O and customs release open the gates, and the cargo is only truly delivered when it is in your hands and the container is back.