Korean Used Car Delivery Order (D/O): Complete Port Release Guide (2026)

A korean used car delivery order (D/O) is the document issued by the destination office of the ocean carrier — Eukor, Hyundai Glovis, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, K Line, NYK, or MOL — that authorizes the named consignee to take physical possession of the vehicle from the terminal. The carrier issues the D/O only after the original Bill of Lading is surrendered (or a telex release is confirmed), all freight and local charges are paid, and consignee identity is verified. The typical D/O fee is $50–$250 per vehicle and processing time runs 1–3 business days at major destination ports.

This guide walks every first-time Korean used car buyer, clearing agent, and freight forwarder through the exact D/O release workflow, fee schedule by carrier, telex-release impact, RoRo vs container differences, and country-specific quirks at Mombasa, Lagos, Jebel Ali, Jeddah, Vladivostok, and Dar es Salaam. SH GLOBAL Co., Ltd. has coordinated more than 7,800 D/O releases across 30+ destination countries since 2018. To anchor this guide in real units, browse our live Hyundai inventory or request a free quotation from SH GLOBAL — we'll show you the exact D/O process for your specific vessel and destination.

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What Is a Korean Used Car Delivery Order?

A Delivery Order (D/O), sometimes written as "D.O." or called a "cargo release order" in some markets, is a written instruction issued by the ocean carrier's destination office to the terminal operator. It directs the terminal to release the cargo — in this case, a used Korean vehicle — to the named consignee or their authorized clearing agent.

For Korean used car exports the D/O sits at a very specific point in the trade-document chain:

• At loading port (Pyeongtaek, Masan, Busan, Incheon, Ulsan) the carrier issues the Bill of Lading
• In transit, no carrier-issued document is needed — tracking is done via the B/L number
• Before vessel arrival, the destination carrier office issues an Arrival Notice to the notify party
• After vessel arrival and B/L surrender, the destination office issues the Delivery Order
• After customs clearance, the terminal physically releases the vehicle against the D/O

The D/O is the carrier's instruction to the terminal; the customs Out-Pass (or equivalent) is the customs authority's instruction. Both are needed to physically remove the vehicle from the terminal yard. This is the same distinction explained in our korean used car bill of lading guide, which is the upstream document the D/O depends on.

Who Issues the D/O?

The D/O is issued by the destination branch of the contractual ocean carrier, never by the shipper, the exporter (SH GLOBAL), the freight forwarder, or the terminal itself. For Korean used cars the issuing entity is almost always one of these five carriers:

Hyundai Glovis and Eukor maintain destination offices or partner agents in every major Korean used car import market — UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria, Russia, Kazakhstan. If your B/L is issued by a smaller NVOCC (Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier) instead of the actual ocean carrier, the NVOCC issues a "house D/O" and they in turn need to obtain a "master D/O" from the actual ocean carrier.

Why the Korean Used Car Delivery Order Matters for Your Release

Five concrete reasons the korean used car delivery order is the most critical document in the destination-side workflow:

1. Without a D/O, the terminal will not release the vehicle even if customs clearance has already been finalized. Customs and carrier are two separate gate-keepers; both must say "yes" before the vehicle can roll off.
2. D/O issuance gates demurrage exposure. Free time at the terminal begins on vessel arrival; if your D/O is delayed beyond free time, demurrage and storage charges start accruing. Our demurrage and detention guide breaks down per-day costs at every major port.
3. D/O verifies consignee identity. The carrier confirms the company or individual claiming the cargo matches the B/L consignee line; this protects against cargo theft and fraudulent claims.
4. D/O confirms freight and local charges are paid. Even on a "Freight Prepaid" B/L, local charges (THC, ISPS, documentation, BAF/CAF residuals, war risk surcharges) are settled at the destination office before the D/O is cut.
5. D/O is the legal authority for the terminal's release; it shifts liability from the carrier to the consignee at the moment of release. After D/O issuance and physical gate-out, any damage claim against the carrier is limited.

In practical terms: a Hyundai Tucson arriving at Mombasa with a clean B/L but no D/O accrues $35–$50 per day in demurrage from day 5 onwards, plus $15–$25 per day in terminal storage. A two-week D/O delay can erase 5–8% of the vehicle's FOB value — an entirely preventable loss.

D/O vs Bill of Lading vs Arrival Notice — Key Differences

First-time importers often conflate three carrier documents that look similar but serve completely different functions. Here is a side-by-side comparison:

The Arrival Notice is the polite heads-up; the D/O is the actual instrument that unlocks the cargo. Some carriers combine the two into a single "consignee notice" but the underlying functions remain distinct. The B/L is also tracked separately from the D/O — your cargo tracking guide covers the B/L-keyed visibility tools, while D/O tracking is done via the destination carrier office directly.

The 7-Step Korean Used Car Delivery Order Release Process

Here is the exact step-by-step workflow for obtaining a D/O on a Korean used car shipment. SH GLOBAL coordinates steps 1–3; the buyer or their clearing agent handles steps 4–7.

Detailed Step Breakdown

Step 1 — Arrival Notice (A/N). The carrier's destination office emails or faxes the A/N to the "Notify Party" listed on the B/L, typically 3–7 days before vessel ETA. The A/N includes vessel name, voyage number, ETA, B/L number, container/RoRo unit number, outstanding local charges, and free-time start date. If you are the consignee, confirm the A/N is forwarded to your clearing agent on day one.

Step 2 — B/L Surrender. The original B/L must be presented to the destination carrier office, OR a telex/express release must be confirmed by the origin office. Without this step the D/O cannot be issued. See our B/L guide for the full surrender vs telex comparison.

Step 3 — Local Charges Paid. Even on Freight Prepaid B/Ls, destination charges accrue: THC ($80–$220 per RoRo unit, $250–$600 per 40ft container), ISPS security ($10–$25), documentation ($30–$70), and the D/O fee itself. Some carriers require wire transfer; others accept cash at the office counter.

Step 4 — Document Verification. The carrier office cross-checks consignee identity (company registration or personal ID) against the B/L consignee line, verifies import permits or PSI certificates (SONCAP, KEBS PVoC, SABER as applicable — see our PSI guide), and confirms freight payment status.

Step 5 — D/O Issued. The carrier prints the D/O (paper or e-D/O), signs, stamps, and hands it to the consignee or their authorized agent. The D/O typically has a 5–10 day validity window.

Step 6 — Customs Clearance. The clearing agent files the import customs declaration, duty is paid, and the customs Out-Pass is issued. The customs clearance guide walks the full destination customs process.

Step 7 — Terminal Gate-Out. The clearing agent presents the D/O and the customs Out-Pass at the terminal exit gate. The terminal verifies both, scans the vehicle out, and the vehicle is loaded onto a car carrier truck for delivery to the final inland destination.

Documents Required to Obtain the Delivery Order

The standard document checklist to obtain a korean used car delivery order at any major destination port is:

1. Original B/L (all three copies marked "Original") or printed telex/express release confirmation email from the origin office
2. Consignee identity proof — company commercial registration certificate, individual passport or national ID (UAE: Emirates ID, Kenya: KRA PIN certificate, Nigeria: company CAC certificate or BVN, Russia: passport + INN tax number)
3. Authorization letter if a clearing agent is collecting on behalf, signed by the consignee with company stamp
4. Proof of freight payment if the B/L is "Freight Collect" — SWIFT MT103, bank receipt, or carrier-issued invoice marked PAID
5. Destination import permit or PSI certificate — SONCAP (Nigeria), KEBS PVoC (Kenya), TBS PVoC (Tanzania), SABER (Saudi Arabia), Form M (Nigeria pre-import), OTTC/SBKTS (Russia)
6. D/O fee payment receipt — the local-charges invoice settled in cash or by wire
7. Signed indemnity / Letter of Indemnity (LOI) if there is any open damage claim, missing B/L original, or release-against-LOI scenario

Country-specific add-ons:

• Kenya (Mombasa, KPA): KRA PIN, IDF (Import Declaration Form), KEBS PVoC Certificate of Conformity, customs e-permit
• Nigeria (Lagos, Tin Can / Apapa): Form M, PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report), SONCAP CoC, NCS NICIS-II e-application
• UAE (Jebel Ali): Dubai Customs Declaration, Emirates ID or trade license, GSO conformity for older units
• Saudi Arabia (Jeddah, Dammam): SABER certificate, Istimara Muroor permit, ZATCA customs declaration via Fasah portal
• Russia (Vladivostok, Novorossiysk): SBKTS or OTTC, utilization fee receipt, ERA-GLONASS approval (cars only)
• Kazakhstan (via Vladivostok rail): EAEU type approval, SBKTS, customs declaration KKТ

Korean Used Car Delivery Order Fees by Carrier and Country

The D/O fee is just one line item in the destination-charges bundle. The full bundle paid before D/O issuance typically includes THC, ISPS, documentation, D/O fee, BAF/CAF residuals, and any war-risk or congestion surcharge. Here is a typical fee range per vehicle by destination region:

Total Destination Charges Bundle

The D/O fee is roughly 10–20% of total destination charges. A typical RoRo Hyundai Tucson arriving at Mombasa pays roughly:

Compare this to our Korean used car import cost guide which builds the full landed-cost picture from FOB through to final registration.

Telex Release vs Original B/L — Impact on Your D/O

The B/L surrender method dramatically affects D/O timing. There are three release modes:

1. Original B/L (Paper)

The classical mode. The Korean origin office prints three "Original" B/L copies and hands them to the shipper (or the L/C-issuing bank). The originals must be physically couriered to the consignee, who presents one Original to the destination office to obtain the D/O. Couriering from Korea to Mombasa, Lagos, or Vladivostok adds 3–7 days transit time and $40–$120 in courier fees. The original B/L is mandatory under most L/C terms (UCP 600).

2. Telex Release (Surrender)

The origin office receives all three Originals back from the shipper (typically because freight is paid and no L/C is involved), then sends an electronic "telex" or surrender message to the destination office authorizing them to release without sight of original. The destination office prints a telex confirmation and treats it as B/L surrender. Saves 3–7 days vs courier; D/O can usually be issued same-day or next-day after the telex confirmation arrives. SH GLOBAL arranges telex release on most non-L/C shipments by default.

3. Express Release / Seaway Bill

The B/L is issued as a "Seaway Bill" or "Express B/L" — non-negotiable, no original copies printed, electronic release only. Identical effect to a telex release but built in from the booking stage. Cannot be used with L/C payment. Common for shipments to long-term repeat customers.

If you are paying via Letter of Credit (L/C), you must use Original B/L. For T/T or escrow payment, request telex release upfront — it saves a week of demurrage exposure.

Delivery Order for RoRo vs Container Shipments

The D/O process differs in three key ways between Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) and Full Container Load (FCL) Korean used car shipments:

RoRo Delivery Order

For RoRo shipments — the dominant mode for single-vehicle Korean exports, covered in our RoRo shipping guide — the D/O references the chassis number (VIN) and the vessel slot/parking location. There is no container number to release. The vehicle is collected directly from the open RoRo storage yard. RoRo D/O processing is generally faster (often same-day) because there is no container destuffing step. Free time at most RoRo terminals is 5–7 days.

Container Delivery Order

For FCL container shipments — typically 1–6 vehicles in a 40ft container — the D/O references both the chassis numbers and the container number. The container must be destuffed at a Container Freight Station (CFS) or the terminal's destuffing yard before the vehicles can be released. This adds 1–3 days. Some destinations (Russia, Kenya) charge extra container destuffing fees ($150–$400). Free time for containers is typically 4–7 days, after which container detention starts.

If your import budget is tight, RoRo's lower per-vehicle landed cost usually wins; if you need theft protection or are shipping high-value Genesis G80/G90 or EV6/Ioniq 5 units, containers offer better security. See the container shipping guide for the trade-off matrix.

Country-Specific D/O Variations

Kenya (Mombasa Port — KPA)

Eukor and Glovis both maintain offices in Mombasa. D/O issuance averages 1–2 days once the KEBS PVoC certificate is presented. The KPA terminal applies its own handling charge (~$80–$150 per RoRo unit). The clearing agent files customs entry via the iCMS (Integrated Customs Management System) and obtains the customs release before applying the D/O at the gate. Our Kenya import guide covers the full Mombasa workflow.

Nigeria (Lagos — Tin Can Island, Apapa)

The Nigerian D/O process is the most complex. Carrier offices in Lagos require Form M, PAAR (Pre-Arrival Assessment Report), and SONCAP CoC before D/O issuance. D/O processing typically takes 3–5 days due to congestion at Tin Can Island. NCS (Nigeria Customs Service) NICIS-II clearance runs in parallel. Nigeria import guide details the SONCAP and Form M sequence.

UAE (Jebel Ali, Khalifa, Hamad — Qatar)

UAE D/O issuance is fastest in the region — same-day at Jebel Ali if all documents are ready by 10:00 AM local time. Dubai Customs Mirsal-2 system integrates with carrier offices for fast turnaround. SH GLOBAL maintains direct relationships with Eukor and Glovis UAE offices for telex-release shipments. The UAE import guide and UAE customs duty guide cover GCC-specific details.

Russia (Vladivostok, Novorossiysk)

Russian D/O issuance has been complicated since the 2022 sanctions and parallel-import regime. Vladivostok is the primary Korean used car entry port. The Korean carrier office (often via local agent) requires SBKTS or OTTC, utilization fee receipt, and ERA-GLONASS approval before D/O. Processing time is 2–4 days. Russia import guide covers parallel-import workflows.

Tanzania (Dar es Salaam — TPA)

Tanzania requires TBS PVoC before D/O issuance. The TRA (Tanzania Revenue Authority) customs clearance via TANCIS runs in parallel. D/O processing at TPA typically takes 1–3 days. See our Tanzania import guide for Dar es Salaam specifics. For broader African destinations, the Africa export guide walks the regional shipping framework.

Common D/O Problems and How to Avoid Them

From over 7,800 SH GLOBAL D/O coordinations since 2018, the recurring problems and proven fixes:

How SH GLOBAL Coordinates Your Korean Used Car Delivery Order

SH GLOBAL Co., Ltd. has built a destination-side D/O coordination service across 30+ buyer countries based on direct relationships with Eukor, Hyundai Glovis, Wallenius Wilhelmsen, K Line, and NYK. For every Korean used car shipment we handle, the D/O coordination workflow is:

• 7 days before vessel ETA: Telex release request sent to the carrier origin office; A/N forwarded to buyer and clearing agent
• 5 days before ETA: Document pre-check — B/L consignee details, PSI certificate scan, payment confirmation reconciled
• 3 days before ETA: Local-charges quote issued to buyer; clearing agent introduced if first-time market
• Vessel arrival day: Telex confirmation received; carrier office contacted for D/O readiness
• Day +1 to +3: D/O issued; SH GLOBAL coordinates with clearing agent on customs entry timing
• Day +3 to +10: Vehicle gate-out confirmed; SH GLOBAL closes the shipment file

This coordination is included in the SH GLOBAL CIF service at no additional cost for buyers in Kenya, Tanzania, Uganda, Nigeria, Ghana, UAE, Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, Bahrain, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, and Russia. For other destinations the coordination is available on request. The how to buy guide walks the full SH GLOBAL purchase journey from inquiry to delivery; browse our Kia inventory or visit view available vehicles to see units currently in stock.