The TWIC Final Reader Rule was issued by the U.S. Coast Guard on August 23, 2016. It requires certain Maritime Transportation Security Act (MTSA)-regulated facilities, which have been determined to present a higher risk of a Transportation Security Incident (TSI), to conduct electronic Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) inspections. This is an update from the 2013 Reader Rule. The effective date of the Final Reader Rule will likely be in 2021.

In order to determine those MTSA-regulated facilities which present a heightened risk of a TSI, the Coast Guard conducted a risk-based analysis and determined facilities that handle Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC). Facilities that receive vessels certified to carry more than 1,000 passengers must comply with the TWIC Final Rule requirements. Convergint Technologies designs, implements, and services integrated electronic security systems that adhere to these regulatory mandates.

Certain Dangerous Cargo (CDC)

CDC includes any of the following:
  • Explosive materials
  • Oxidizing materials or blasting agents for which a permit is required
  • Highway route controlled quantity radioactive material or Fissile Class III shipments of fissile radioactive material
  • Any of the following when carried in bulk: Acetaldehyde, Ammonia (Anhydrous), Butadiene, Butane, Butene, Butylene Oxide, Chlorine, Ethane, Ethylene, Ethylene Oxide, Methane, Methyl Acetylene (Propadiene Mixture, Stabilized), Methyl Bromide, Methyl Chloride, Phosphorous, Propane Propylene, Sulfur Dioxide, Vinyl Chloride

Required Components for Compliance

All persons present in at-risk facilities must pass an electronic TWIC inspection before being granted unescorted access to a secure area prior to each entry. The electronic TWIC inspection must include the following elements:
  1. Card Authentication – The TWIC must be authenticated using the card authentication private key stored in the TWIC.
  2. Card Validity Check – The TWIC must be checked against TSA’s list of cancelled TWICs to ensure that the TWIC has not expired.
  3. Identity Verification – The biometric template stored on the TWIC (i.e., fingerprint) must be matched to the TWIC holder’s scanned fingerprint.

Convergint TWIC Solution Offering

Convergint can provide strategic planning, consulting, assessment, design, integration, and professional and maintenance services to ensure ongoing TWIC regulatory compliance.

  • pivCLASS Physical Access Control System (PACS)

  • TWIC Registration Engine

  • TWIC Certificate Manager

  • Canceled TWIC Card Database Integration

  • Enrollment Readers

  • Fixed Readers

  • Portable Readers

There many nuances to the 63-page Final Rule. With each affected site being extremely unique, a full understanding of the FSP, the TWIC Defined Area, and possible modifications to each may avert substantial costs associated with simply installing electronics to meet this regulation. The Coast Guard estimates that TWIC readers will cost between approximately $5,300 (fixed) and $7,000 (portable). We suggest you engage a Convergint security professional who is highly involved in the industry and engaged with the regulators to ensure all affected sites are compliant before the final reader rule compliance date.
 

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