Parties and roles
Carrier (shipping line)
The company that actually carries the goods, such as the shipping line, trucking company or railway, under a contract of carriage.
In four languages
The carrier operates the ship, truck or train and accepts the goods for transport. In sea freight it is the shipping line, which issues the master bill of lading, owns or leases the containers, sets sailing schedules and surcharges, and grants the free time after which demurrage and detention apply. Importers often deal with the carrier only indirectly, through their forwarder, but the carrier's rules still decide when and where cargo can be collected. Example: a 40HQ is booked from Ningbo to Jebel Ali. During the 2026 Hormuz disruption the carrier may decide to discharge Gulf cargo at Khor Fakkan instead, using the liberty clauses in its bill of lading, and the container then moves on by truck. The importer's forwarder follows the carrier's notices and arranges the onward leg.
Questions
Who is the carrier if I book through a forwarder?
The shipping line is the actual carrier of the container. If the forwarder issues its own house bill of lading, it is also your contractual carrier for that shipment.
Can the carrier change the discharge port?
Bills of lading usually contain liberty clauses that allow the carrier to discharge at another port when a route is unsafe or blocked. Extra costs from such a change often fall on the cargo owner, so check your contract.