The Coast Guard announced in the Federal Register that it has issued its final rule, “TWIC – Reader Requirements; Delay of Effective Date.” This final rule delays implementation of TWIC readers for three years at facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes (CDC) while allowing reader requirements for large passenger vessel facilities and one specific large passenger vessel to move forward.
The final rule is effective May 8, 2020.
The Coast Guard delayed the effective date for three categories of CDC facilities affected by the Aug. 23, 2016 final rule, “Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) – Reader Requirements.”
The three categories are:
- Facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, but do not transfer these cargoes to or from a vessel.
- Facilities that handle certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, and do transfer these cargoes to or from a vessel;
- Facilities that receive vessels carrying certain dangerous cargoes in bulk, but do not, during that vessel-to-facility interface, transfer these bulk cargoes to or from those vessels.
Facilities that receive passenger vessels certificated to carry 1,000 passengers or more and one large passenger vessel will have to meet the regulations of the 2016 Reader Requirements.
Facility and vessel owners or operators with specific questions regarding the requirements of these regulations should contact their local Coast Guard Captain of the Port (COTP). A listing of individual COTP contact information is available on Coast Guard Homeport under “Port Directory.”
Read more at Coast Guard Maritime Commons
