Glossary term
NVOCC
A party that acts as carrier and issues its own bills of lading without owning or operating vessels.
A non-vessel operating common carrier buys space from ocean carriers, sells it on, and issues its own house bills of lading, taking carrier liability towards its customers while someone else performs the voyage.
To the shipper it looks like a carrier and is one contractually. The distinction matters for claims - which lie against the NVOCC under its terms - and for regulation, since NVOCCs must be licensed or registered in some jurisdictions.