TWIC

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TxMarEng
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TWIC

Post by TxMarEng »

Nothing seems to work here in the US. With the heightened concerns for port security the government felt all port workers needed background checks and an official gov't photo ID. Good idea for stevedores and others who require access to the waterfront. Merchant Mariners however, already possess photo ID's in the form of their Merchant Mariners Document and/or STCW letters as well as having been put through background checks and fingerprinting by the USCG. The program just doesn't work. It was contracted out to Lockheed and it is in a shambles. I applied to my card on 08-Feb-2008 and paid the $132.50. When I didn't hear from them I checked and was palced on hold for over 10 hours on 2 occasions. Emails were replied to via computer generated responses. I was finally assured that I would be contacted by the local contractor in Texas City and I still sit and wait.

Is their such a ridiculous requirement in Canada or the UK for licensed/documented officers?
kotik
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Post by kotik »

Well in Sweden we all have photo ID, our driving licence or passport and we need to have it on us according to the law, and if we have business in a port we talk with the guard at the gate sign in and then at leaving we sign out.

In reality there is very relaxed checking and as long we have our photo id and the name of the ship they let us in or out.
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JK
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Post by JK »

The consultants are making a fortune on Bush paranoia.
You should see the hoops I have to go through to get a FSR to a ship at sea.
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offshoresnipe
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Post by offshoresnipe »

I got my TWIC card in April, all and all not top bad.
The day I had to pay the fee, the computor was down and all they would take was a bank check, one guy had come with cash (U.S.), they would not take that. It was a steady path to the bank, and you had to pay the bank a fee for the bank check.
You could tell the workers had not a clue as to what they did, it was just a temp job.
The best part for me was when I showed my TWIC card at the airport, in the USA, and the TSA guy (min. paid sec. worker) wanted to know what it was, he had never seen one and then asked if I had some other picture ID. I thought that at that time it was time to pull out my passport, as the cop that stands to the side (and has a gun) started to look our way, did not want to do snow angles face down with his knee in my back at the airport that day.
But we are safe, I feel so much better!!!!
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JK
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Post by JK »

did not want to do snow angles face down with his knee in my back at the airport that day.
We've come to a bad pass when a citizen worries about this happening to him in an airport!!
BilgeRat1
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Re: TWIC

Post by BilgeRat1 »

Bad pass indeed. I was at the St. Louis airport the other day (on my way to set up a computer on a company boat), and our barge maint. VP took paind to let me know not to use the TWIC for ID with the TSA. Seems somebody else had, and got to spend a good long while explaining it to the TSA. :roll:
What good is it??
"It is not that there are too many fools on earth, it is just that the lightning is distributed unevenly."
Mark Twain
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