Port Security Identification Management

If you've been through any of America's airports in recent years, you are familiar with the role that the U.S. Transportation Security Administration (TSA) plays in providing air transportation security for the air travelers and the general public. In partnership with the U.S. Coast Guard, the TSA plays a major role as the administrator of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (or TWIC® card) program. This mandatory identity management program provides security for maritime systems, facilities, structures, assets and services.

Applying the latest technology for security software has been standard practice since the 9/11 terrorist attacks forever changed our need for security across our transportation landscape. Over the past fifteen years, several pieces of legislation have sought to better define maritime security responsibilities including:

• US Coast Guard Maritime Safety Regulations - Both state and federal regulations address a number of issues involving maritime safety for vessels and crew.
• Customs Trade Partnership Against Terrorism - Launched in November of 2001, C-PTAT certification focused on improving the security of private companies' supply chains with respect to terrorism.
• International Ship and Port Facility Security Code - The 2004 ISPS amendment prescribes responsibilities to governments, shipping companies, shipboard personnel, and port facility personnel to detect security threats and take preventative measures against incidents.
• Security and Accountability For Every Port Act - The 2006 SAFE Port Act was enacted by Congress in 2006 to improve port and container security while disallowing foreign ownership of US ports.
• Maritime Transportation Safety Act - Enacted in 2002, the MTSA creates port security programs for our nation's ports to better identify and deter threats and to protect the seaports themselves, the cargo moving through the ports and overall maritime security.

Our nation's vast marine transportation system encompasses more than 25,000 miles of navigable waterways with hundreds of maritime ports as well as thousands of marine terminals and multimodal connections. In addition, the development of port security software and identification management systems help protect more than 11 million cruise ship passengers originating in the United States each year.

TWIC® card technology is a tamper-proof and counterfeit-resistant biometric smart card credential that allows for quick confirmation of eligibility of people to access secure areas of a maritime infrastructure. Using an electronic reader or digital scanner, biometric fingerprint verification is determined and the card is cross-referenced with Department of Homeland Security's Canceled Card List (CCL) to ensure the card has not expired, been revoked, lost or reported stolen. In addition, the TSA publishes updated lists of TWIC® security software and readers that have been evaluated and approved by independent laboratories for compliance.