Charleston, SC - Time is running out to enroll in the Transportation Workers Identification Credential (TWIC) program. Earlier today, the U.S. Coast Guard announced that Charleston's TWIC compliance date will be December 1, 2008.
TWIC is the new federally mandated ID for anyone that requires unescorted access to secure areas of the port. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is issuing workers a "Smart Card" embedded with fingerprint information that links the card to the person.
In many cases, it is taking months to produce the cards, so now is the time to enroll. Already, more than 4,400 truckers, longshoremen, stevedores and others have enrolled at the Charleston TWIC enrollment center. Of these, about 3,000 have received their cards.
Anyone that requires unescorted access to secure areas on the South Carolina State Ports Authority's public port terminals must apply for and receive a TWIC, which costs $132.50. To avoid delays and impacts on the port community and your business, the SCSPA encourages everyone that requires access, including truck drivers, tenants, labor, and others, to enroll as soon as possible.
Individuals may either enroll in person at the center or pre-enroll on the web site. The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) has a fixed TWIC enrollment center located at 4600 Goer Drive, Suite 112 in North Charleston. The hours of operation are Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.