Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)

What is a Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)?

A Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC) is an ocean carrier that transports goods under its own House Bill of Lading, or equivalent documentation, without operating ocean transportation vessels. Rather, an NVOCC leases space from another ocean carrier, or Vessel Operating Common Carrier (VOCC), that they sell to their own customers. An NVOCC can be described as a shipper to carriers and a carrier to shippers.

While NVOCCs do not usually own their own warehouses, many own their own fleet of containers. In certain circumstances, a NVOCC may also operate as a freight forwarder.

Why would you ship with an NVOCC?

An NVOCC often buys container space in bulk from ocean carriers, so it can offer rates and sailing options to shippers who don't ship enough to negotiate directly. It also consolidates smaller shipments into shared containers, known as Less-than-Container-Load (LCL), which suits importers who don't fill a full container.

In the US, the Federal Maritime Commission (FMC) regulates NVOCCs, and they typically must be licensed and bonded. The NVOCC, rather than the vessel operator, usually issues your house bill of lading and acts as your contact for claims and delays.

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