Beneficial Cargo Owner (BCO)
What is a Beneficial Cargo Owner (BCO)?
A Beneficial Cargo Owner (BCO) is the entity with ownership or a beneficial interest in transported goods. While not always the shipper, the BCO reaps the benefits of the cargo's arrival.
Roles and responsibilities of BCOs
BCOs manage logistics, customs, and delivery of the cargo. This includes carrier selection, rate negotiation, and customs compliance. They coordinate with freight forwarders and customs brokers to ensure smooth cargo movement.
Do the terms 'Shipper' and 'BCO' mean the same thing?
While both "BCO" (Beneficial Cargo Owner) and "Shipper" are related to container shipping and sometimes used interchangeably, they do not mean the same thing.
BCO (Beneficial Cargo Owner): BCO refers to the party that owns or has beneficial interest in the cargo being transported. This could be the actual owner of the goods or a party with a financial interest in the shipment, such as the buyer or seller in a transaction. The BCO may or may not be directly involved in the physical transportation of the goods, as they may contract out the shipping process to a freight forwarder or logistics provider.
Shipper: The shipper is the party responsible for arranging and/or supplying the goods to be transported. This can include preparing the goods for shipment, packaging them appropriately, and ensuring compliance with all relevant regulations. The shipper may be the same as the BCO, especially in cases where the BCO is directly involved in the shipping process. However, the shipper could also be a third party hired by the BCO to handle the logistics of the shipment.
While there can be overlap between the roles of a BCO and a shipper, they are not synonymous. The BCO is the owner or beneficiary of the cargo, while the shipper is the party responsible for preparing and arranging the shipment of goods.