Page 17: of Maritime Reporter Magazine (September 2002)

crewmembers from third world coun- tries lack passports, which traditionally were not required. In addition, it is often difficult for a mariner, who may be sail- ing for months at a time and who does- n't know future ports of call far in advance, to obtain a U.S. visa. The elimination of the crew list visa will pro- vide a further obstacle to both shore leave and the ability of ship owners, operators, and managers to undertake crew changes while the ship is in a U.S. port.

Maritime Identification Credentials

The U.S. Coast Guard has announced that, starting September 6, 2002, it will only accept certain credentials for the purpose of identifying maritime person- nel needing to board or disembark from ships and enter or leave waterfront facil- ities. Acceptable credentials include a military identification card, a federal employee badge, a driver's license or official identification card issued by a

Department of Motor Vehicles or a

Motor-Vehicle Administration within the U.S., a merchant mariner's document issued by the U.S. Coast Guard, a valid passport, a local law enforcement cre- dential, an identification credential issued by a state or local port authority, and an identification credential issued by a company, union, or trade associa- tion. The credential must contain the full name of the individual, include a current photograph of the individual, bear the name of the issuing authority, and be laminated or otherwise secured against tampering.

Unofficially, the individual Captains of the Port (COTPs) are given broad dis- cretion to accept additional credentials that they have determined to be trust- worthy, but this will naturally vary from port to port.

Immediately after the terrorist attacks in September 2002, the Secretary of

Transportation convened various Direct

Action Groups to examine various aspects of transportation security. The

Credentialing Direct Action Group (CDAG) has been studying the issue of a

National Transportation Workers' Identi- fication Card (TWIC) for all transporta- tion workers and other persons who require access to secure areas at trans- portation facilities. The Coast Guard policy regarding maritime identification credentials will remain in effect at least until the TWIC process has been final- ized and implemented. (NSEERS). The NSEERS Program will be adopted at all U.S. ports of entry (including seaports, airports, and land border crossings) on October 1, 2002.

This program, which is intended to "pro- vide greater protection for the United

States and help aliens fulfill their responsibilities under the laws of the

United States," will require the finger- printing of some entering foreign visi- tors and completion of registration forms. Initially, the requirements will be imposed on all nationals of Iran, Iraq,

Libya, Sudan, and Syria and on all other nonimmigrants whom the State Depart- ment or the INS determines to present an elevated national security risk.

The NSEERS Program relies on regu-

Government Update lations that have been on the books for many years, but these regulations have been suspended for decades, as conced- ed by the Department of Justice.

National Security Entry-Exit

Registration System (NSEERS)

On August 12, 2002, Attorney General

John Ashcroft announced that on Sep- tember 11, 2002, the Immigration and

Naturalization Service (INS) will com- mence a pilot program at selected ports of entry called the National Security

Entry-Exit Registration System

September, 2002

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