The following is excerpted from SIU Secretary-Treasurer David Heindel’s report to the membership for January 2007:The first part of my report focuses on the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program, better known as TWIC.
Right now, as you know, most of our members carry a z-card or a merchant mariner document, and many also carry an STCW certificate, which is an 8x10 piece of paper.
Eventually, most of our members will carry a TWIC and a separate, paper document known as a merchant mariner qualification credential, abbreviated as MMC. The TWIC is a brand new credential. The MMC is a single piece of paper designed to replace the current z-card and the STCW certificate as well as licenses.
Despite all the abbreviations, at a glance the new programs may sound straightforward. We carry two documents today; we’ll carry two documents later.
Unfortunately, the government’s handling of the TWIC program and the related MMC has been anything but simple, and some of the details aren’t yet fully understood by many if not most throughout our industry. In fact, some of the important, basic details haven’t even been released.
On January 3, the Department of Homeland Security issued an advance copy of the final rule for the TWIC program, which is supposed to improve port security by checking the backgrounds of workers before they are granted unescorted access to secure areas of vessels and maritime facilities. The TWIC itself will be an ID card that includes a biometric identifier, in this case a fingerprint.
Anyone who has followed this issue during the past year or so undoubtedly would agree that it is complicated and far-reaching. For instance, the government estimates that approximately 750,000 workers eventually will need to carry a TWIC, including U.S. seafarers. The advance final rule is 469 pages and doesn’t include regulations on the card readers themselves….
Here is what we know for sure.
After the final rule is published in the Federal Register – which could happen sometime this week – seafarers will have 20 months to secure a TWIC. In the meantime, your current z-card or MMD will be considered as meeting the requirements of the TWIC program.
In other words, for the next 20 months, a valid z-card and a TWIC are one and the same. Detailed information on how and where to apply for a TWIC is supposed to be included in subsequent notices. In any case, the enrollment process will start no sooner than March 2007 in a small number of ports, with gradual expansion nationwide.
We’re also anxiously awaiting a supplemental notice from the Department of Homeland Security concerning the merchant mariner qualification credential. Recent indications are that the MMC will be delayed at least until the TWIC program is up and running, but we expect to know more in the very near future.
Beyond that, we’ll continue examining the advance final rule for the TWIC. We know you want answers and so do we. We also want to make sure that the information you get from us is accurate, and with that in mind, rather than rushing to distribute information that might be incomplete, we ask for your continued patience as we tackle this enormously important issue.
We will continue to provide updated information at the monthly membership meetings, in the Seafarers Log and on our web site. Your port agent will be kept informed of any new developments as we learn them, so you may check with them from time to time for information.
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