The Transportation Worker Identification Credential

[Captains Cat]

Heck, if they did that, they could give you anything they wanted, no one would notice!! :embarrased

Charlie

You, on the other hand, would (with good reason) be permanently grounded.

:wink

There you go again, lookin' in the mirror and making comparisons!! :smilep :shock: I, on the other hand could be cited for carrying a dangerous weapon! (the knife naturally!)

Charlie

 

[Larry H]

Brats with captains licenses,

Here is a web site link with summary information on the TWIC.
I have no connection and accuracy is not guaranteed.


http://www.5goulds.com/twicilious.html

 

[JamesTXSD]

Brats with captains licenses,

Here is a web site link with summary information on the TWIC.
I have no connection and accuracy is not guaranteed.


http://www.5goulds.com/twicilious.html

Hi Larry,

That's essentially the same information I found out when I researched the TWIC; the woman at the TWIC enrollment office verified it. In asking around locally, not one captain in 10 is aware of the requirement for this credential, and that it will come to pass in September of this year.

I did not receive any information on this from the USCG or the Department of Transportation as a "heads up." I think a lot of people who don't work in a commercial port environment (like fishing guides with 6 pack licenses) are going to get caught in this situation.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[JamesTXSD]

Just bringing this thread back up with an update - I was notified today that my TWIC card was ready, and I picked it up today. About 6 weeks from enrollment to receipt. When you pick the card up, you will need a 6 digit PIN; it will take about 10 minutes to log info onto the card, you will need to show ID and do one more fingerprint. If I understand correctly, the PIN and fingerprint info will be on your card; when asked to show the card, you will need to input the PIN and give a fingerprint to verify a match.

For any mariners holding a license or MMD, you will need this card by September 2008 for your license to remain effective.

Best wishes,
Jim B.

 

[localboy]

I don't see that this will trickle down to the recreational boater, but some sort of state licensing is likely in our future. Will that make people safer boaters?

Already in the pipeline in WA. State. Will be phased in over the next few yrs and by 2014 will be mandatory for all. Not a "license" in the known sense of the word, but still a mandatory gov't supplied card one must have to operate a boat in WA. State waters.

http://www.parks.wa.gov/boating/boatered.asp

 

[Minnow]

This was the response I got from the guy who owns the dive boat that I crew on. I'm inclined to believe his conclusions to his research, but please let me know if they're flawed.


"Captains - at this time - I've already contacted the TW sites, DHS, the USCG etc. We as charterboat operators are NOT required to apply for this ID system unless we are entering SECURE ports. Local marinas etc are not considered Secure. If they were - absolutely NO "lay Person" customer etc would be permitted within certain areas of the marina or a boat! This would apply to recreational vessels as they co-habitate recreational marinas.

The propaganda on this started a few months back by someone who did not know how to read regulations!

Any wonder why these registration sites are being set up and maintained at major shipping ports along the coast?

If perhaps Blue Fathoms or any captain obtains a license to access secure areas of ports such as the Port of New York or Port Newark, or choose to work as a deckhand on any vessel that transports cargo and cruise line passengers to these major ports - by all means - apply."

 

[JamesTXSD]

This was the response I got from the guy who owns the dive boat that I crew on. I'm inclined to believe his conclusions to his research, but please let me know if they're flawed.


"Captains - at this time - I've already contacted the TW sites, DHS, the USCG etc. We as charterboat operators are NOT required to apply for this ID system unless we are entering SECURE ports. Local marinas etc are not considered Secure. If they were - absolutely NO "lay Person" customer etc would be permitted within certain areas of the marina or a boat! This would apply to recreational vessels as they co-habitate recreational marinas.

The propaganda on this started a few months back by someone who did not know how to read regulations!

Any wonder why these registration sites are being set up and maintained at major shipping ports along the coast?

If perhaps Blue Fathoms or any captain obtains a license to access secure areas of ports such as the Port of New York or Port Newark, or choose to work as a deckhand on any vessel that transports cargo and cruise line passengers to these major ports - by all means - apply."

Hi Minnow,
I sure don't want to be the one to say definitively that your information is flawed, but my research in the TWIC site and the USCG site states that this identification credential will be required for any license or MMD to be effective after September 2008. When discussing this with the woman at the TWIC office and USCG REC personnel, they both confirmed that. Again today, I specifically asked if an OUPV charter operation captain that does NOT go into a secure port will be required to have the TWIC card, and I was told, "Yes." Even though they may launch a boat at the city ramp, go into the bay, and never come within miles of the port??? "Yes." She further stated that, "The US Coast Guard will have scanners and a fingerprint reader on their boats by that September time to check for TWIC compliance."

I agree that this all seems ridiculous... overkill... and a huge waste of time and money. HOWEVER, here is the CFR:

Title 46: Shipping
PART 10—LICENSING OF MARITIME PERSONNEL
Subpart A—General

§ 10.113 Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
By September 25, 2008 all mariners holding an active License, Certificate of Registry or
STCW endorsement issued under this part must hold a valid Transportation Worker
Identification Credential (TWIC) issued by the Transportation Security Administration
under 49 CFR part 1572. Failure to obtain or hold a valid TWIC may serve as a basis for
suspension or revocation of a mariner's license, COR or STCW endorsement under 46 U.
S.C. 7702 and 7703.

[CG–2006–24196, 72 FR 3587, Jan. 25, 2007]

Here are a couple sites that verify that information:

http://www.5goulds.com/twicilious.html

http://www.tsa.gov/what_we_do/layers/tw ... _faqs.shtm

And a quote from the TSA site above:

Will these rules affect all Merchant Mariners?

Yes. All credentialed U.S. merchant mariners must obtain a TWIC. This includes all persons holding a Coast Guard-issued merchant mariner's license, merchant mariner's document (MMD), Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping (STCW) Certificate, or certificate of registry (COR). With the implementation of TWIC, the Coast Guard MMD would primarily serve as proof of the bearer's professional qualifications. The Coast Guard has drafted a supplementary proposed rule (published in the same Federal Register edition as the TWIC final rule) that proposes to combine the elements of all four current merchant mariner professional credentials into one certificate called the Merchant Mariner Credential (MMC). The Coast Guard and TSA are streamlining the process for the two credentials to reduce costs, duplication of effort, and processing time for mariners. If the MMC proposed rulemaking is finalized as currently written, the Coast Guard would begin issuing the MMC in September of 2008 and would phase in the replacement of mariner's current credentials over a period of five years. Mariners would be issued their credential in the form of an MMC at the time they renew their current credential, or when applying for a new credential. The proposed rulemaking would not affect the validity of a mariner's current credential.

Based on the above sources, I enrolled, paid my $$, and now have the TWIC in my possession. Frankly, I don't think the country is a safer place because of this, but when September 2008 rolls around, I will still have an effective Master license.

I certainly don't consider myself an expert on this issue. I doubted it when I first heard about it. My goal here is to simply put out the word on my experience. Thus far, other than a few captains saying, "Naw, that doesn't apply to me," everything I've read (and the people who are administrating the program) seems to say that, yes, it does. If you find out differently, I will congratulate you and sing your praises. In the meantime, the woman at the local TWIC office said the word is spreading amongst the six-pack operators here, and they are coming in to enroll... grumbling about it, but coming in.

And regarding where the TWIC enrollment centers are located - having one at a nearby commercial port was WAY more convenient than the 500 mile drive to the USCG REC in Houston (where they require even OUPV license applicants to go from our area). So, while the enrollment centers in commercial ports will certainly be more convenient for the port workers and non-crew workers who will need access to secure areas, it is also a plus for those of us with captains licenses. I read this as a way for the Coast Guard to get out of the "background check business" and get on with the rest of their mission... and this is certainly not intended to relate to the recent posts about CG boardings.

Keep us informed if you find out anything different.

Best wishes,
Jim B.