Marine Link
Friday, March 29, 2024
SUBSCRIBE

Credentialing Direct Action Group News

10 Sep 2002

Crewing and Maritime Security

In the process of enhancing homeland and maritime security in the United States, the federal government is substantially increasing the burden on the owners, operators, managers, and agents of foreign ships. The heaviest burden, though, is being felt by the individual crewmember. For a short time after the horrific terrorist attacks of September 11, 2002, Immigration and Naturalization Service (INS) officials in some ports (particularly the Port of New York and New Jersey) would not allow non-U.S. crewmembers to land (come ashore) in the United States. This knee-jerk reaction gradually faded and INS processing of foreign crewmembers slowly returned to nearly the pre-9/11 situation. In March 2002, an incident in Chesapeake, Va. changed the unofficial INS policy.

20 Feb 2002

DOT Outlines Smart Card Concept

The Department of Transportation (DOT) is considering establishing a nationwide transportation worker identification system under which workers in all transportation modes would carry “smart cards” to verify their identity and control their access to vessels and transportation facilities. A DOT team, known as the Credentialing Direct Action Group, of CDAT, briefed industry representatives on the concept at a January 22 briefing at DOT headquarters in Washington, D.C. The CDAG, briefed industry representatives from each of DOT’s operating agencies, including the Coast Guard and the Maritime Administration, as well as the new Transportation Security Administration (TSA).