Coast Guard issues final rule on TWIC readers

(WASHINGTON) — The U.S. Coast Guard has given U.S. marine terminals and vessels handling dangerous bulk goods or more than 1,000 passengers a two-year deadline to electronically verify Transportation Worker Identification Credentials, Lexology.com reported. The final rule issued Tuesday requires the electronic readers for an estimated 525 facilities designated as highest-risk “Group A” under the TWIC program. The Coast Guard revised its previous proposal by eliminating the need for electronic readers at barge fleeting facilities that handle bulk hazardous goods, and by exempting vessels with 20 or fewer TWIC-required crewmembers. The previous proposal applied to vessels with crews of 14 or fewer.

Click here to read the story. For more information on the rule, including a detailed summary of the final policy, click here

By Professional Mariner Staff