The ship's captain is solely responsible for the stowing and securing of cargo, i.e. if something comes loose and causes damage, injury, or sinking, he is reponsible. To relieve him of this responsibility - since he also has many others - a cargo superintendant supervises loading, stowing, and securing, and issues the captain with a certificate attesting to the good workmanship, etc.

This is what the "capitaine expert" does. He is a "capitaine" only in respect of the cargo-damage responsibility.

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Note added at 1 hr 8 mins (2005-05-19 10:23:12 GMT)
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chargé de 1650 tonnes de marchandises diverses, convenablement arrimées comme en atteste le certificat de saisissage du CAPITAINE EXPERT Robert McDOWELL
[http://eorarbleizmor.free.fr/index.php?2005/05/12/100-rappor...]

L\'armateur n\'est pas tenu de faire constater, avant le débarquement, le bon arrimage de la marchandise ; mais tout réceptionnaire peut provoquer la nomination d\'un expert chargé de vérifier cet arrimage. A Marseille, cette vérification se fait par le CAPITAINE EXPERT du Lloyd Maritime
[www.cdmt.droit.u-3mrs.fr/memoires/2003/m03ciba.doc]


Surveys at the vessel’s departure.
1. Obligation
Compulsory visits at the time of a vessel’s departure were, as we saw, explicitly ordered by the Authorities, namely by the decree of 1791, and the Commercial Code had adopted this obligation.
Surveys were requested by the ship-owner or by the Master. If they are negligent in this respect, they are acting at their own risk and the seaworthiness of the ship is questionable.
On the other hand, if the ship has been surveyed as prescribed by the law, it’s state is pre-sumed to be in a good condition ; consequently, any mischief which might occur, may be pre-sumed to be resulting from an \"accident at sea\".
Besides, if a Master is not in possession of a certificate of Survey, he may be prevented from leaving the harbour. The certificate of Survey also has to be shown to both the Customs (before the cargo is taken in) and to Pilotage (in order to get a pilot for sailing). This practice was later enacted by the Royal Decree of 8th March 1843 which entitled the Water-bailiff to object to a ship’s sailing when it has not been surveyed or when it has not received a survey certificate.
[http://www.nauticalcommission.be/History.htm – this document relates the history of \"nautical surveying\" and refers to one Muskeyn in Belgium, described in French as \"capitaine expert\"]

on loading and securing cargo in containers, particularly for awkward or out-of-gauge pieces, and where required we can supply CARGO SUPERINTENDANT, labour ...
www.redclf.co.uk/highforward.htm

Trading under the name of “Veni Vidi “ I offer a range of services as a CARGO SUPERINTENDENT chiefly working with agricultural product (grain, fertilizer animal feed etc…) , though at times diversifying Into pre-shipment inspections, site inspections and many other similar services.

A degree in Agricultural Science from Sutton Bonnington (Nottingham University) gives me a broad science background.

This has been complimented by some experience of working on the land, some years spent with MAFF/ ADAS as a Scientific Officer (– chiefly phytosanitary work) as well as 4 years as a full-time CARGO SUPERINTENDENT with SGS UK ltd.

Since then I have working in the same role on a self-employed basis, working for a variety of different clients in a variety of different roles, though predominantly associated with the import and export of agricultural products.

Usual Roles
Testing of various grains to ensure they meet contract specification at point of entry or departure from the docks.
Weight recording, usually with regard to tally sheets at weighbridges.
Site or ship inspections prior to loading or storage.
Inspection of goods/products damaged in transit.
Phytosanitary inspections for certification.
Pre-shipment Inspections.
…
Experienced with various grain, fertilizers and animal feeds etc…
[http://www.canalbarge.co.uk/home.htm]