The TWIC compliance date for owners and operators of facilities located within U.S. Coast Guard Captain of the Port Zone Port Arthur, Texas, has been extended until April 14, 2009, from the original compliance date of Nov. 28, 2008. This extension was granted due to disruption of enrollment and port activities in the wake of Hurricane Ike.
Ports affected by the April 14, 2009 compliance date include, among others, San Juan, Arecibo, Mayaguez, Guanica and Ponce, Puerto Rico;St. Thomas and Christiansted, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands; Port Arthur, Sabine Pass, Beaumont, Orange, Houston, Galveston, Freeport, Texas City and La Porte, Texas; Lake Charles, La.; Santa Barbara, Ventura, Port Hueneme, Los Angeles, Santa Monica and Newport Bay Harbor, Calif.; and Guam.
Mariners may use their valid Coast Guard-issued merchant mariner's document, license or certificate of registry, along with a valid photo ID, to be eligible for unescorted access in secure areas of any facility regulated under the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 that has a TWIC compliance date earlier than April 15, 2009. The date by which owners and operators of vessels and outer continental shelf facilities must implement access control procedures using TWIC is also April 15, 2009.
Owners and operators of facilities regulated under MTSA are responsible for notifying employees of their personal responsibility to apply for and maintain a TWIC. The TWIC final rule, published Jan. 25, 2007, also requires owners and operators of MTSA regulated facilities to inform employees of the deadlines and methods for TWIC application.
Compliance will continue to be phased in by Coast Guard Captain of the Port zones through April 15, 2009, after which all ports must be in compliance and all credentialed mariners must be in a possession of a TWIC.