Find Answers To Your Questions By Searching Here:

TWIC Attorney Explains What Maritime Workers Need to Know

Many newly hired Gulf Coast maritime workers are asking, “Just what exactly is a TWIC card, and do I need one?” We have the answer.

TWIC stands for Transportation Worker Identification Credential. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA), Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and the United States Coast Guard (USCG) worked together to develop the TWIC program. The program was instated to provide a biometric identification credential for maritime workers whose jobs necessitate un-escorted access to secured areas in ports, facilities and vessels.

Basically, the TWIC program allows crewmembers to enter and leave secure port areas quickly and easily. All credentialed Merchant Mariners were required to have a TWIC card by April 15, 2009, although many ports were already using this system.

Biometric identification is a new field of technology. Unlike more traditional methods of identifying a person, like driver’s licenses and passports, biometric identification is unique to only one individual. In the case of the TWIC, fingerprints are used.

Who needs a TWIC card? It is required for anyone who, in the course of their duties, needs access to secure areas of ports, vessels, and offshore facilities without an escort. This can include:

Maritime workers with credentials issued by the Coast Guard.
Crewmembers of a vessel who are otherwise not credentialed.
Maritime workers in all secure facilities.
Truckers who must enter and leave secure facilities.
Longshoremen, surveyors, and chandlers.
Port chaplains and facility security workers.

As you can see, most mariners and many maritime onshore workers need to get a TWIC. Unfortunately, the process is not always easy. In fact, in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it was estimated originally that 6,000 people would need a card. That number was quickly raised to a number in the neighborhood of 50,000. Around 200,000 in Houston needed a TWIC card initially.

Because the numbers were calculated incorrectly to begin with, many mariners were frustrated and confused by the process. And other problems continue to arise. For example, one Captain was denied a card because of a past legal problem. He had been sailing for over 35 years, and the USCG had approved his 1600 T Oceans license. After two denials, he was afraid he would lose his job.

This is not a rare story. A man born in Japan finally got his card after a long legal battle. Another man with a 15-year-old felony conviction had served his 12-year probation. Yet he was still denied a card because of “a felony conviction within the last seven years.” A 2009 report found that 10,000 maritime workers had lost their jobs because of problems obtaining a TWIC card.

If you or someone you know has had problems getting a card or has lost wages due to exceptionally long wait times, contact a TWIC attorney at Vujasinovic & Beckcom. We can help you get to work. Call toll-free today at 877-724-7800 for a free consultation.