Jan. 22, 2009 — After April 14, truckers, dockworkers, contractors and anyone else who needs regular access to port facilities in the U.S. Virgin Islands will need to have a federal Transportation Worker Identification Credential, or "TWIC" identification card, so if that's you, enroll now to avoid having your work disrupted.
"TWIC is a critical layer of security, ensuring only vetted workers have unescorted access to secure areas of ports and vessels," said Lee Duffy, Transportation Security Administration federal security director for the U.S. Virgin Islands, at a press conference on St. Croix Thursday. Coast Guard, TSA and Homeland Security officials gathered at the GeoNet Ethanol company site within the St. Croix Renaissance Park to talk about the new ID and the deadline to a room full of contractors, Hovensa officials and press.
"April 14 is the deadline," Duffy said. "But the time to sign up is now. Even if you enroll today, it can take up to six weeks to complete the background check. And if you have something there that needs a closer look, it can take longer. We don't want anyone's commercial activity to be disrupted. But the ultimate goal is to secure our maritime facilities as we have our air traffic facilities."
The new, nationwide IDs were mandated by the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002. They require biometric identification- meaning the IDs store your fingerprints on an embedded computer chip. And all applicants undergo a background check.
The Coast Guard will be responsible for enforcing TWIC rules, with the help of facility owners, port police and other federal, state and local partners.
The cards cost $132, but are good for five years, which makes the cost $26.50 annually. And they allow the carrier unescorted access to any port facility in the nation. Once a person has a card he or she is good to go, even after moving or changing jobs. About 7,000 workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands' ports will need to enroll – 6,500 on St. Croix and 500 on St. Thomas. About half have already signed up.
"The time to enroll is now," said Coast Guard Capt. Joanna Nunan, Sector San Juan deputy commander for Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands. "There are approximately 3,400 workers in the U.S. Virgin Islands who still need a TWIC. There is no advantage to waiting until the last minute to enroll."
You can cut down on time spent at the enrollment center by pre-enrolling online at www.tsa.gov/twic. Pre-enrollment allows workers to provide biographic information and to schedule a time to complete the application in person and be photographed and fingerprinted.
"It's fine, not really difficult at all," said Todd Joseph, a Hovensa employee who happened to enroll Thursday right after the press conference. "This part, enrolling, was not much more than five minutes."
Two enrollment centers have been set up in the Virgin Islands. One on St. Croix at the St. Croix Renaissance Park, tel: (340) 713-7860. And one on St. Thomas, in Suite 217, 8000 Nisky Center, tel: (340) 779-6563.

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