49 CFR §176.57

1. (a)Hazardous materials may be handled or stowed on board a vessel only under the direction and observation of a responsible person assigned this duty.
2. (b)For a vessel engaged in coastwise voyages, or on rivers, bays, sounds or lakes, including the Great Lakes when the voyage is not foreign-going, the responsible person may be an employee of the carrier and assigned this duty by the carrier, or a licensed officer attached to the vessel and assigned by the master of the vessel.
3. (c)For a domestic vessel engaged in a foreign-going or intercoastal voyage, the responsible person must be an officer possessing an unexpired license issued by the USCG and assigned this duty by the master of the vessel.
4. (d)For a foreign vessel, the responsible person must be an officer of the vessel assigned this duty by the master of the vessel.