International Trade Law News

Enrollment for the Transportation Security Administration's (TSA) Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) recently began at the port of Wilmington, Delaware. TSA will begin registering workings at the next 11 ports through November. TSA estimates that all U.S. port workers will have the new biometric identification cards by October 2008.

The TWIC is a biometric identification credential that will be required for unescorted access to secure areas in all U.S. ports. The TSA and the U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) have estimated that more than 750,000 workers including longshoremen, truckers, port employees and others will be required to obtain a TWIC.

Once enrollment for a port is complete, TSA and USCG will announce a 90-day period for that port after which only persons with TWICs will be allowed unescorted access to the secure areas of the port. The cost for the TWIC has been finalized at $132.50, or $105.25 if a TWIC applicant has already undergone a similar fingerprint-based security threat assessment, such as for a Hazmat Endorsement or a Free and Secure Trade card. All port worker and truck drivers must visit a TWIC enrollment center to apply and return to pick up the TWIC card.

Transportation workers that need a TWIC can avoid lines and save time during the registration process by pre-enrolling online at the TSA website. The site allows workers to enter biographical information and make a reservation to complete the process in person at the port.

The tentative TWIC enrollment schedule for the next 10 ports is:

November 1, 2007: Corpus Christi, Texas

Mid-November 2007: Baton Rouge, La.; Beaumont, Texas; Honolulu, Hawaii; Oakland, Calif.; Tacoma, Wash.

Late November 2007: Chicago/Calumet, Ill.; Houston, Texas; Port Arthur, Texas; Providence, R.I.; Savannah, Ga.

For more information the TWIC and the latest deployment schedule, see the following link:
www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/twic/index.shtm.

Labels: Ports