DPU Incoterms: Delivered at Place Unloaded, the Rule That Replaced DAT
DPU, Delivered at Place Unloaded, is the only rule in Incoterms 2020 that requires the seller to unload the goods. It replaced DAT, Delivered at Terminal, in the 2020 edition.
Why DAT became DPU
Under the 2010 edition DAT required delivery at a terminal. The ICC defined terminal broadly, but arguments still arose over whether a factory yard, a warehouse forecourt or a construction site qualified.
DPU removed the restriction entirely. The seller can now deliver unloaded at any named place. The unloading obligation was kept; the terminal requirement was dropped.
DPU also moved in the running order, and now sits after DAP. That reflects the logic: DAP is delivery ready for unloading, DPU is the same delivery with the unloading done.
What DPU requires
The seller arranges and pays for all carriage to the named place, clears for export, carries risk for the whole journey, and unloads the goods on arrival. Risk passes once unloading is complete.
The buyer handles import clearance, duty and tax.
Why the unloading obligation matters
It sounds minor. It is not, for two reasons.
Equipment. If the cargo needs a crane, a forklift or specialist handling, DPU makes that the seller's problem and the seller's cost. A seller agreeing DPU for heavy machinery at a site it has never visited is taking on more than it may realize.
Risk during unloading. Because risk passes only once unloading is complete, damage that occurs during unloading is the seller's loss. Under DAP the equivalent damage would be the buyer's.
When to use DPU
DPU suits deliveries to terminals, container yards and sites where the seller or its carrier already has the handling equipment on hand. It is common in project logistics, where the freight forwarder unloading heavy units is part of the same arranged service.
Avoid DPU where the seller cannot verify site conditions. Committing to unload at a location you have not seen, with equipment you have not confirmed, is how sellers end up hiring cranes at short notice.
Common mistakes
Using DAT in new contracts. The term no longer exists in the current edition. If a template still says DAT, it is running on 2010 terms and should be updated. See what changed in Incoterms 2020.
Confusing DPU with DDP. DPU does not include import clearance or duty. Only DDP does.
Where this rule sits
DPU is DAP plus unloading. It is the only rule that puts the unloading obligation on the seller, which makes it the right choice when the seller controls the handling equipment and the wrong one when it does not.
For the full set, see our guide to all 11 Incoterms 2020 rules, or work through how to choose the right rule for a given shipment. Our Mastering Incoterms 2020 course covers every rule with worked examples from Gulf trade lanes.
Frequently asked questions
What does DPU mean in Incoterms 2020?
Delivered at Place Unloaded. The seller delivers the goods to a named place and unloads them, carrying risk until unloading is complete.
What happened to DAT?
DAT was renamed DPU in the 2020 edition. The unloading obligation stayed but the requirement to deliver at a terminal was removed, so any named place now works.
Is DPU the only rule where the seller unloads?
Yes. Of the eleven rules DPU is the only one that obliges the seller to unload the goods at the named place.
Does DPU include import duty?
No. Import clearance, duty and tax belong to the buyer under DPU. Only DDP puts those on the seller.
When should a seller avoid DPU?
When it cannot verify site access or confirm that suitable unloading equipment will be available, since the unloading cost and the risk during unloading both sit with the seller.
