What is the meaning of NVOCC ?

you first have to know the different from FCL shipping & LCL shipping .

FCL mean ( Full Container load) - it is mean that the exporter will ship full container to ship his cargo , mean also he has a big volume have to ship into full container ( 20DC or 40DC & 40HQ ).

LCL mean ( Less Container Load ) - it mean that more than exporter will use the same container to ship his cargo up to the same destination

Example : 

if we have 5 suppliers each of them has a different commodities packed and has also a different weight & dimensions -  all of them will ship their cargo from Hamburg port to Jebel Ali port , they could to stuff their cargo into the same container which will ship from Hamburg port to Jebel Ali Port then the consignee per each cargo could to receive his cargo from Jebel Ali port after discharged & stored at port .

from this point who is responsible to arrange these steps & make this issues for suppliers LCL ?

Answer : NVOCC :Non-Vessel Operating Common Carrier (NVOCC).

Activities between a NVOCC and a freight forwarder are similar to each other except some differences.
An NVOCC need not be an agent or partner of a freight forwarding company, where as a freight forwarding company can act as a partner or agent for an NVOCC.

 
Basically speaking, NVOCC acts a ‘carrier to shipper’ and ‘shipper to carrier’.

NVOCC can own and operate their own or leased containers.    NVOCC acts as a virtual carrier and accepts all liabilities of a carrier legally, in certain areas of operation.

they also responsible for Stuffing , loading , unloading & they have to issue Bill of lading per each supplier .

they didn't own the containers or vessels like the shipping lines , they only book the containers for certain voyage then handling the cargo normal like any shipment FCL .

so NVOCC is too close from freight forwarder functions but NVOCC more specialized in LCL shipping .