Shipping Terms Glossary
Shipping Terms Glossary
Delivered At Place (DAP)

Delivered At Place (DAP)

DAP is best for containerized freight i.e. goods that can be transported on shipping containers or pallets.

What is Delivered at Place (DAP)?

DAP is one of the 11 International Commercial Terms (Incoterms) used in trade where the seller is responsible for delivering the goods to the place specified by the buyer, ready for unloading.

🚨 Point of Risk Transfer!

When the goods are delivered to the buyer’s specified location. If the goods incur any damages during or after unloading, the seller is no longer responsible.

What is Delivered At Place (DAP)?

When should you choose DAP?

DAP is best for containerized freight, i.e. goods that can be transported on shipping containers or pallets.

Some sellers prefer to use CPT (Carrier Paid To) instead of DAP.

Buyers, you need to keep in mind that with CPT, the ‘delivery of goods’ happens when goods have been received by the first carrier. In other words, all the risk of the goods being damaged is transferred to the buyer in the early stages.

With DAP, the risk of transfer to the buyer happens only at the final destination when the goods are ready for unloading.

A quick example:

Simple Scenario Time - DAP:

E-Commerce Owner (Buyer): Amy runs an E-commerce store that sells water bottles in the US.

Supplier (Seller): A manufacturer located in China.

Agreed Term: DAP, ABC Warehouse, 123 South Ave, Los Angeles, CA, USA.

Seller’s duties: In charge of arranging, paying for export clearance and transportation to deliver the goods to ABC Warehouse in Los Angeles, USA.

Buyer’s duties: In charge all import clearance and unloading costs at the warehouse.

Point of Risk Transfer: When the supplier brings the goods to the ABC warehouse ready for unloading - the risk of the goods must be transferred to Amy (buyer).


Cost allocation. Who pays for what under DAP?

Bookairfreight - Cost allocation - who should pay what under DAP

How is DAP different from DPU ?

The key difference lies in the unloading of goods at the specified destination:

With DAP (Delivered at Place), the buyer unloads

With DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded), the seller unloads

Cristian Ungureanu

Logistics nerd and resident marketing guy of Bookairfreight. I love writing content that simplifies old-fashioned industry processes and provides solid, accurate information you can base your decisions on. Outside of logistics, I enjoy nature, hanging out with friends, electronic music and spirituality.

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