Editorial: Happenings And Nonhappenings Impact Marine Industry

Major happenings (milestones, if you will) can have a major impact on the inland marine industry. Things that do not happen can do the same. In the last few weeks we have observed a dedicated effort to bring the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA) to the Senate floor. It has not happened. Just days ago, via the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the Coast Guard and Transportation Security Administration took action that will impact the entire marine industry.

The big news under the Homeland Security banner is the approval of the use of TWIC (Transportation Worker Identification Credential), which is a biometric-based identification credential for port workers. Those who must obtain them include many in transportation, including U.S. Merchant Mariners who hold an active Merchant Mariner’s Document, Merchant Mariner’s License, Certificate of Registry or an STCW endorsement. In layman’s language, the TWIC must be obtained by anyone that might have access to secure areas. For example, the pilothouse of a vessel is considered a secure area.

Elsewhere in today’s WJ can be found more detailed information related to the proposals. A few days ago the aforementioned government groups issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking, giving interested parties 45 days to comment. DHS expects to issue TWICs to 750,000 workers, which would cost $139 each unless the individual already has a comparable background check, and then it would cost $105. It was announced recently that some 400,000 port workers will undergo background checks. Some port officials predicted it will produce additional delay in a system that is already having difficulty unloading all of the ships efficiently.

Only last week, based on industry feedback, we noted editorially that observers did not expect to see a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM). What they expected was an interim rule sometime before the end of the year. But such is our luck when a major happening takes place so close to a deadline that we had not yet received word.

We did report that those in the industry expected to find a fee attached to the TWIC, and so there is. They did not expect to be given a chance to comment on the issue, but they have been given 45 days.

Industry leaders themselves will have to determine whether the implementation of the TWIC will be bad or good for them. From the standpoint of security, we assume things will be more secure, and that is Homeland Security’s goal. We are not sure yet how this will impact the average mariner who is seeking to obtain a Coast Guard license or have one renewed, although they say it will be more inconvenient.

We do know that port and vessel operators would be required to implement TWIC into their existing access control systems and operations, purchase card readers—TWIC will use Smart Card technology—and update their approved security plans. How expensive will that be?

We also know that merchant mariners would no longer be required to visit a Regional Exam Center to submit fingerprints and identification or to take an oath when they obtain or renew their credentials, resulting in substantial time and travel savings, the Homeland Security announcement said.

It is natural to assume that those who have the TWIC will carry them. But we don’t know that for sure. For example, under the explanation about the Merchant Marine Credential (MMC) it says that the format required for merchant mariners would be different. The MMC would be in certificate form, but the specific format is still under development. It would contain virtually the same information, however. Requirements to receive credentials would be the same for port workers and mariners.

The issue, and industry’s take on it, will become much more clear as we see comments emerge.

As to the nonhappening, failure to bring WRDA to the Senate floor will only cause further delay in performance by the Corps of Engineers of its various duties, including a heavy burden related to Hurricane Katrina.

As one marine association leader pointed out, just when WRDA seems to have a chance, critics exhibit incredibly good timing and come out with negative publicity. So the waterways war is on, and the heavies on both sides of the issue are slugging it out in Senate offices and in the press. We have covered virtually all of the details previously.

We do, however, wonder about the possibility of paralysis by analysis. By stalling Mel Price Locks and Dam on the Mississippi River for nearly a decade, we were able to increase the project price from $383 million to more than $1.2 billion. That is but one of many examples. Every year we see construction costs rising and additional millions of dollars being spent to further analyze projects that have been analyzed previously. Still the critics push for delay. Is that good stewardship of the taxpayers’ money?

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