Parties and roles
NVOCC (non-vessel operating common carrier)
A carrier that issues its own house bills of lading to shippers without operating any ships, buying space from shipping lines.
In four languages
An NVOCC acts as a carrier towards its customers but contracts the actual sea transport with a shipping line. It issues its own house bill of lading to the real shipper and consignee, while the shipping line issues a master bill of lading to the NVOCC. This set-up is the basis of LCL consolidation: one container, one master bill of lading, and many house bills of lading, one for each customer. Because the NVOCC issues the document, its own terms and liability apply to your shipment. Example: twelve importers in Dubai each have a few cubic metres of goods in Shenzhen. An NVOCC loads all of them into one 40HQ, receives one master bill of lading from the line, and issues twelve house bills of lading, one for each importer to collect a delivery order at destination.
Questions
Is an NVOCC the same as a freight forwarder?
Many forwarders also act as NVOCCs. The difference is the role: as an NVOCC the company issues its own bill of lading and takes on carrier responsibility.
Is a house bill of lading from an NVOCC less safe?
Not by itself. It is a normal transport document, but release at destination depends on both the house and the master bill of lading being released, so work with an NVOCC you trust.