33 CFR 155.700: Designating the person in charge of transfers
Last reviewed: October 14, 2026
This section requires certain vessel operators, agents, and people who hire a person in charge to designate the person in charge (PIC). The PIC covers each transfer to or from the vessel and each tank-cleaning. The designation may be by name or by position in the crew.
Applies toIt applies to each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of fuel oil, cargo oil, hazardous material, or liquefied gas as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154, and to each person who arranges for and hires a person to be in charge of a transfer of fuel oil, of a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or of cargo-tank cleaning.
What it says
Each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of fuel oil, cargo oil, hazardous material, or liquefied gas as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154 must designate the person in charge (PIC).
“Each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of fuel oil, cargo oil, hazardous material, or liquefied gas as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154”
Each person who arranges for and hires a person to be in charge of a transfer of fuel oil, a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or cargo-tank cleaning must also designate the person in charge (PIC).
“or each person who arranges for and hires a person to be in charge of a transfer of fuel oil, of a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or of cargo-tank cleaning, shall designate”
The designation may be made either by name or by position in the crew.
“either by name or by position in the crew, the person in charge (PIC)”
A person in charge must be designated for each transfer to or from the vessel and for each tank-cleaning.
“of each transfer to or from the vessel and of each tank-cleaning”
Common questions
Who must designate the person in charge of a transfer?
Each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of the listed substances, as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154, must designate the PIC. So must each person who arranges for and hires a person to be in charge of a transfer of fuel oil, a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or cargo-tank cleaning.
“Each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of fuel oil, cargo oil, hazardous material, or liquefied gas as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154”
Can the person in charge be designated by crew position instead of name?
Yes. The designation may be either by name or by position in the crew.
“either by name or by position in the crew, the person in charge (PIC)”
Which operations need a designated person in charge?
A person in charge must be designated for each transfer to or from the vessel and for each tank-cleaning.
“of each transfer to or from the vessel and of each tank-cleaning”
The text of 33 CFR 155.700
Electronic Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), current as of April 16, 2026 · Read it on eCFR
Designation of person in charge
Each operator or agent of a vessel with a capacity of 250 or more barrels of fuel oil, cargo oil, hazardous material, or liquefied gas as regulated in Table 4 of 46 CFR part 154, or each person who arranges for and hires a person to be in charge of a transfer of fuel oil, of a transfer of liquid cargo in bulk, or of cargo-tank cleaning, shall designate, either by name or by position in the crew, the person in charge (PIC) of each transfer to or from the vessel and of each tank-cleaning.
Sections it refers to
- 46 CFR part 154
The plain-English explanation on this page was written with AI from the regulation text above and checked automatically before publishing: every quote appears in the text, every number comes from it, and a second model confirmed each statement adds nothing the text doesn't say. Regulation text current as of April 16, 2026. The regulation text governs. RegKnot is not affiliated with the U.S. Coast Guard.