USCG to Hold Meeting on FSO Training Requirements

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on October 10, 2012

The RSVP link listed in the Federal Register Notice doesn’t work. The Coast Guard expects to publish a Notice of Correction next week. In the meantime, you can use the following to sign up to attend the meeting. The Coast Guard will be holding…

NMSAC September 2012 Meeting Part 2

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on October 1, 2012

Ms. Lauren Brand of the Maritime Administration (MARAD) started her brief with an overview of the Marine Highway. The program, which envisions reliable, regularly scheduled, competitive, and sustainable transportation over waterways to reduce highway congestion…

NMSAC September 2012 Meeting, Part I

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on September 24, 2012

After introductory remarks by NMSAC’s new Executive Director, USCG Captain Andrew Tucci (the spelling of all names in this post represents my best guesses), the September 11th session dealt with Cybersecurity, Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA)and Information Sharing…

Follow-Ups on TSA’s TWIC Extension

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on June 25, 2012

As previously scheduled, on June 19, the TSA published the official Notice (which will formally exempt many TWIC holders from their card’s normal expiration provisions) in volume 77 of the Federal Register, starting at page 36406. The details…

TSA Announces TWIC Extension Option

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on June 18, 2012

On June 15, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) TWIC website announced a forthcoming option for many holders of the Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) to extend the expiration date of their TWICs pending implementation…

NMSAC May 2012 Meeting – Part 2

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on May 21, 2012

At the Coast Guard’s tasking, NMSAC had formed a working group to address information sharing improvements between DHS agencies and the maritime industry that would, in turn, enhance Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA). The working group had…

NMSAC May 2012 Meeting – Part 1

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on May 18, 2012

Sadly, audio problems absent from the last few NMSAC meetings were manifest at the outset of this one. As a result, the virtual audience missed out on the presentations concerning National Supply Chain Security and Harmonization of US-Canadian Maritime Transportation Security Regulations.

USCG to Apply Conditions of Entry to Vessels Arriving from Yemen

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on September 4, 2012

UPDATE 9/4/12: The Conditions of Entry Notice has been published at 77 Federal Register pages 53901- 02 and is also available online. The Port Security Advisory has not yet been posted on Homeport. The September 4 issue of the Federal Register…

NMSAC to Meet May 15-16

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on May 1, 2012

The Meeting Notice has been published at 77 Federal Register page 25721 and is also available online. The morning session on the 15 will be closed to the public so that NMSAC can receive classified briefings on current domestic and international…

Two Recent TWIC Program Developments

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on April 30, 2012

a new contractor to be in charge of issuing TWICs. Meanwhile, people who need to replace a lost or stolen TWIC already face a potential restriction on their ability to obtain a replacement at the reduced replacement price. According to a company press release dated April 10…

DHS Issues Long-Awaited TWIC Reader Report

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on March 12, 2012

When designed, installed, and operated consistent with the characteristics and business needs of the facility or vessel operation, TWIC reader systems can make access decisions efficiently and effectively. Numerous options for validating…

Results of the January 2012 NMSAC Meeting – Part III

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on February 27, 2012

In two previous posts, I covered the Meeting’s first and second sessions, which had briefings and discussions on requirements for vessel guards while in port, Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)/Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Harmonization…

Recent USCG Counter-Piracy Documents

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on February 16, 2012

On January 30, the Coast Guard announced the release of the sixth revision to Maritime Security (MARSEC) Directive 104-6, “Guidelines for U.S. Vessels Operating in High Risk Waters,” in a Notice of Availability in the Federal Register. According to this Notice…

UK Overhauls Counter-Piracy Guidance, Allows Some Armed Guards

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on December 7, 2011

On December 6 the UK Department for Transport (DfT) posted on its website two documents providing guidance for UK-flagged vessels on countering piracy and armed robbery against ships. They include guidance allowing the use of armed guards against Somali pirates…

TWICs Will Cost a Little Less

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on January 31, 2012

The price reduction is a consequence of an FBI Notice in the Federal Register of December 20, 2011 dropping the cost of finger-print-based Criminal History Record Information checks by $2.75, effective that date in March. According to TSA’s Frequently Asked Questions on the reduction…

Results of the January 2012 NMSAC Meeting – Part II

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on January 31, 2012

In a previous post, I covered the Meeting’s first session, which had briefings and discussions on requirements for vessel guards while in port, Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)/Chemical Facility Anti-Terrorism Standards (CFATS) Harmonization…

Results of the January 2012 NMSAC Meeting – Part I

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on January 20, 2012

The first morning session of the January meeting of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) opened with a lengthy Welcome/Farewell Address by NMSAC sponsor, short remarks by the Committee’s Executive Director, and what was…

NMSAC Meeting Set for January 18-19, 2012

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on January 6, 2012

A meeting of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) will be held in Arlington, VA, on January 18 and 19, according to a US Coast Guard Notice published in the Federal Register on January 9. The meeting will be open to the public…

USCG Issues Interim Policy for STCW Compliance

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on January 3, 2012

UPDATE, 1/4/12:  The Notice of Policy has been published at 77 Federal Register page 232 and is also available online. The US Coast Guard has issued a Notice of Policy that is slated for publication in the Federal Register on January 4. The…

ANPRM Reducing TWIC Requirements Clears OMB Review

Posted to Maritime Transportation Security News and Views (by John C.W. Bennett) on December 16, 2011

The USCG Coast Guard’s proposed rulemaking on revisions to Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) Requirements for Mariners has cleared the Office of Management and Budget’s (OMB’s) regulatory review process. The Advance Notice…