If you've encountered the term DEQ in a contract, a textbook, or a conversation with an experienced trader, you're looking at a piece of shipping history. DEQ — Delivered Ex Quay — was an Incoterm used for decades in international trade, but it was officially retired in 2010 and is no longer part of the current Incoterms framework.
Understanding DEQ still matters for two reasons. First, you may encounter it in older contracts, legacy systems, or discussions with industry veterans who still reference the term informally. Second, understanding what DEQ meant helps you choose the correct modern Incoterm for the same purpose.
DEQ (Delivered Ex Quay) was an Incoterm under Incoterms 2000 (and earlier versions) that meant the seller was responsible for:
"Ex quay" literally means "from the quay." The quay is the wharf or dock where vessels are moored and cargo is unloaded. Under DEQ, the seller's obligation was complete once the goods were sitting on the quay at the destination port, cleared from the vessel and available for the buyer to collect.
Seller was responsible for:
Buyer was responsible for:
In earlier versions of the Incoterms (before 2000), DEQ included two variants:
Under Incoterms 2000, DEQ was standardized as "duty unpaid" — meaning import clearance was always the buyer's responsibility. This simplified the term but removed the duty-paid option.
DEQ was retired in the Incoterms 2010 revision for several reasons:
Limited scope. DEQ only applied to sea and inland waterway transport, and specifically to delivery at the quay (dock). This made it inflexible — it couldn't be used for container terminals where goods aren't unloaded onto a traditional quay, or for multimodal shipments.
Terminal modernization. Modern container terminals don't operate the way traditional break-bulk quays did. Containers are moved from vessel to yard, not placed on a quay for collection. The concept of "delivery on the quay" became increasingly disconnected from how ports actually function.
Overlap with other terms. DEQ occupied a narrow space between CFR/CIF (where the seller's obligation ends at the origin port) and DDP (where the seller handles everything). The ICC decided this gap could be filled by a more versatile term.
Simplification. The 2010 revision aimed to reduce the number of Incoterms from 13 to 11, removing terms that had limited usage or overlapping functionality.
DEQ was replaced by DAT (Delivered at Terminal) in the Incoterms 2010 revision. DAT expanded on DEQ by:
DAT was then renamed to DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in the Incoterms 2020 revision. DPU further broadened the concept by:
The evolution: DEQ (Incoterms 2000) → DAT (Incoterms 2010) → DPU (Incoterms 2020)
The core concept remained the same through all three versions: the seller delivers the goods unloaded at the destination. What changed was the flexibility of where that delivery can happen and which transport modes are covered.
| Feature | DEQ (Incoterms 2000) | DPU (Incoterms 2020) |
|---|---|---|
| Transport mode | Sea and inland waterway only | Any mode of transport |
| Delivery location | Quay at the destination port | Any named place |
| Seller unloads | Yes, onto the quay | Yes, at the named place |
| Risk transfer | When goods are on the quay | When goods are unloaded at the named place |
| Import clearance | Buyer | Buyer |
| Flexibility | Limited to port quays | Any location (port, warehouse, factory, etc.) |
If you're referencing DEQ in a new contract, stop. Use the current Incoterms 2020 equivalent:
For delivery at a port terminal with seller unloading: Use DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) with the terminal as the named place. Example: "DPU Container Terminal, Port of Rotterdam"
For delivery at a port terminal without seller unloading: Use DAP (Delivered at Place) with the terminal as the named place. Under DAP, the seller delivers the goods on the arriving transport, ready for unloading, but the buyer handles the actual unloading. Example: "DAP Container Terminal, Port of Rotterdam"
For delivery at the buyer's location with seller unloading: Use DPU with the buyer's address as the named place. Example: "DPU Buyer's Warehouse, 789 Logistics Pkwy, Amsterdam"
For delivery at the buyer's location without seller unloading: Use DAP with the buyer's address. Example: "DAP Buyer's Warehouse, 789 Logistics Pkwy, Amsterdam"
| You Want... | Use This Incoterm |
|---|---|
| Seller delivers to port and unloads (like DEQ) | DPU [Port Terminal] |
| Seller delivers to port, buyer unloads | DAP [Port Terminal] |
| Seller delivers to buyer's door and unloads | DPU [Buyer's Address] |
| Seller delivers to buyer's door, buyer unloads | DAP [Buyer's Address] |
| Seller handles everything including import clearance | DDP [Destination] |
If you encounter DEQ in an existing contract, purchase order, or legacy system:
In active contracts: If both parties understand DEQ and the contract is functioning, it still works as a matter of contract law — the ICC doesn't invalidate old terms. However, if the contract is renewed or renegotiated, update to DPU or DAP under Incoterms 2020.
In new contracts: Never use DEQ. It creates confusion and ambiguity, particularly with banks (for L/C transactions) and customs authorities who reference current Incoterms. Use DPU or DAP instead.
In ERP or TMS systems: If your system still lists DEQ as an Incoterm option, map it to DPU for any new transactions and flag it for system update.
In conversations: If a trading partner says "DEQ," they likely mean "delivered and unloaded at the destination port." Confirm their intent and suggest using DPU with a specific named place for clarity.
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DEQ stands for Delivered Ex Quay. It was an Incoterm meaning the seller delivered the goods unloaded on the quay (dock/wharf) at the named destination port, bearing all cost and risk up to that point. The buyer was responsible for import clearance and onward transport.
No. DEQ was removed from the Incoterms rules in 2010. It was replaced by DAT (Delivered at Terminal) in Incoterms 2010, which was then renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms 2020. While old contracts using DEQ may still be legally valid by mutual agreement, new contracts should use current Incoterms.
DEQ was replaced by DAT (Delivered at Terminal) in Incoterms 2010, then DAT was renamed DPU (Delivered at Place Unloaded) in Incoterms 2020. DPU serves the same core function — seller delivers goods unloaded at the destination — but applies to any transport mode and any location, not just sea freight at a port quay.
DEQ was limited to sea transport and delivery on the quay at a destination port. DPU applies to any mode of transport and any named place (port terminal, warehouse, factory, etc.). Both require the seller to unload the goods. DPU is more versatile and is the current standard.
No. Always use current Incoterms 2020 terms in new contracts. For the same purpose as DEQ (seller delivers and unloads at a destination terminal), use DPU with the specific terminal or location as the named place.
DPU requires the seller to unload the goods at the destination. DAP requires the seller to deliver the goods ready for unloading, but the buyer handles the actual unloading. DPU = seller unloads. DAP = buyer unloads.