Recent USCG Counter-Piracy Documents

So far this year the US Coast Guard has issued two revised documents material to the struggle against maritime piracy.  One is the latest version of the applicable Maritime Security Directive; the other provides updated information regarding the policies of … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, Policy | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

TWICs Will Cost a Little Less

The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has, without fanfare, updated its website with the “Latest News” that the cost to get a Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) will drop slightly, as of March 19, 2012. At that time, the price of … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, TWIC | Tagged | Leave a comment

Results of the January 2012 NMSAC Meeting – Part II

This post covers the second session of the January 2012 meeting of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (MMSAC).  This session, on the afternoon of January 18th, had two topics:  a discussion of the Certain Dangerous Cargo Security Initiative and … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, Port Security | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Results of the January 2012 NMSAC Meeting – Part I

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 labeled a discussion of requirements … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

NMSAC Meeting Set for January 18-19, 2012

UPDATE, 1/9/12:  The Meeting Notice has been published at 77 Federal Register page 1076 and is also available online. A meeting of the National Maritime Security Advisory Committee (NMSAC) will be held in Arlington, VA, on January 18th and 19th, … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, TWIC | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

USCG Issues Interim Policy for STCW Compliance

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 … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, Policy | Tagged , , , | Comments Off

ANPRM Reducing TWIC Requirements Clears OMB Review

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 of Proposed Rulemaking (ANPRM) and should be published in … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, TWIC | Tagged , , | Comments Off

UK Overhauls Counter-Piracy Guidance, Allows Some Armed Guards

  On December 6th 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 … Continue reading

Posted in Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, Security Threats | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

Some TWICs Won’t Work in Readers

Some 26,000 Transportation Worker Identification Credentials (TWICs) may be rejected by TWIC reader machines because of defective encoding.  At some point recently, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) posted on the “Latest News” portion of its TWIC website that some previously … Continue reading

Posted in Access Control, Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security, TWIC | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Second Chance to Comment on USCG’s Proposed STCW Regulations

If you weren’t able to comment before the September 30 deadline on the US Coast Guard’s Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) on implementing STCW Convention and Code amendments and changes to domestic merchant marine endorsements, you have a second … Continue reading

Posted in ISPS Code, Maritime Security, Maritime Transportation Security | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off