Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC)
A carrier that issues bills of lading in its own name without owning ships.
An NVOCC buys space from ocean lines and resells it. It contracts with its own customers as the carrier. It issues house bills in its own name and takes on a carrier's liability for the leg it covers.
That is the difference from a freight forwarder acting as an agent. An agent arranges carriage in your name and issues no bill. Many companies do both, on different shipments.
Documents this appears on