On the ops desk the delivery order request follows the arrival notice: the consignee or its agent surrenders the original BL (or relies on a telex release or sea waybill), settles outstanding carrier charges, and only then is the D/O issued so customs clearance and pickup can proceed. Because every step in that chain runs against the detention and demurrage clock, the forwarder works to have documents and charges resolved before the cargo lands. The D/O is not the same as the bill of lading: the BL is the carrier's contract and title document that controls who may take delivery, while the D/O is the instruction that actually releases the cargo at destination, and its issuance is what discharges the BL.
Glossary
Delivery Order (D/O)
The release document a carrier or its authorised destination agent issues, once the original bill of lading is surrendered or the release conditions are otherwise met, authorising the port, terminal, or depot to hand the cargo to the named consignee.