Facility Access

Firstly: Merry Christmas

On to fairly important news

Go here: http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/FR-2014-12-29/pdf/2014-30013.pdf

Carefully read the proposal. Then think REALLY hard about how you are held captive in the various “Guantanamo” like terminals. Add to this how the company won’t pay, or why they even have to pay a ‘security escort’ In all actuality we have each already paid this fee because we MUST finance our own background check, and clearance already! Voice your opinion about how our TWIC card is supposed to give us ‘un escorted access’ to these same facilities that refuse us basic access for personal and grub trips.

I know, most terminals are just fine. But, there are several I know of who are COMPLETELY overboard about this.

Your voice counts. Please take the time to write. If we don’t comment, only the facilities who comment will be heard. Thanks

Hope you all have a great day, either at home or Asea.

It appears that the link provided does not yet ‘go’ to the proper docket case. Give it another business day to process. I am sure they will be getting some other communication about how it doesn’t work (similar to the TWIC card)

Thanks for the link Cappy! I printed it and have it in the wheelhouse for the crew to check out. I’m going to hold a meeting with the crew so everyone is up to speed.

[QUOTE=RubberRhib888;150600]Thanks for the link Cappy! I printed it and have it in the wheelhouse for the crew to check out. I’m going to hold a meeting with the crew so everyone is up to speed.[/QUOTE]

Thanx for passing on this information!!! I will spread the word to our crew as well.

If only our borders were this secure. We (mariners) face for more scrutiny than most of other citizens of this country.

Ever since the forced the silley assed twic card down our throats, the shoreside facilities have treated us like we are terrorists and criminals. I will also spread the word to our crew.

I am thinking about sending an email with the link to every boat in my companies fleet. What do you guys think? I assume this really pertains more to us guys & gals that move petroleum from A to B and not so much the OSV people. Seeing as how we crew change and grub shop through these terminals and shit. Some are ok and some are outright ridiculous.

I’d really just like to be able to go for a walk around town for an hour or so when I’m not on watch but most of these places aren’t in walking distance to anywhere you’d want to walk anyway! Definitely need to make it easier for grub and crew change though.

Here’s what I wrote, guys. Looking for constructive critizism or anything I might have left out.

Ladies and Gentlemen.
With regards to the proposed rule making for facility access for Merchant Mariners, I am glad to see the problem finally being addressed. The current lack of regulatory guidance has been an utter failure. There are no standard procedures for facilities to follow resulting in a hodge podge of over-restrictive policies enacted by facilities which deny TWIC holding American Seamen their right to leave their ship and go ashore.
The entire process of obtaining a TWIC is a sham. TWIC cardholders have paid an exorbitant fee to undergo a background check. We have had to drive ourselves, on our own time, sometimes for hours to go to a TWIC office. At the TWIC office I used, the TWIC is not recognized as a valid form of identification, nor did they have a TWIC reader. In fact in the eight years I have been a TWIC holder, I have never seen a cardreader.
The intention of the TWIC was to allow the cardholder unrestricted access to secure facilities. Instead the exact opposite has become the norm. The TWIC holder is treated as a criminal or terrorist. I have been to plants which frisk all seamen coming into the facility and make the seaman empty all bags while a security guard rummages through my personal items. Fences with locked gates and security guards forbidden to escort a seaman out of a facility have become commonplace at facilities that handle nothing more dangerous than road salt.
Understanding that a government edict, no matter how much of a failure it may be, once enacted, is virtually impossible to do away with, I harbor no illusion that we will see the end of the TWIC program. That being the case, facilities must allow TWIC holding American citizens transit through their property. I would suggest as a compromise, facilities assign one security guard per shift to take seamen to and from the ship and gate twice per hour on an as needed basis. I don’t believe that is overburdonsome to the facility or overrestrictive to the American Mariner. I hope commonsense can prevail here. Respectfully, Me

Feel free to copy or paraphrase.

Last time I renewed my TWIC I was up in Boston to match USCG license renewal 6

When I expressed surprise at seeing my first TWIC reader, ever, the attendant retorted (angrily) there was one in use. In Miami. !!!

Last time I was in Miami they would not even accept a TWIC.
You had to go to port police and get a one time pier pass or apply for a port ID card.
All with the same questions and doubled down with a few more… Plus a fee and a little suspicion and humiliation to make the experience complete. Go figure.

Only facilities I’ve seen with scanners are Del City & Wando terminal.

The VIG ex APM terminal in Portsmouth, VA use a card reader.

I like what you wrote there Seadog. I might use that for the base of my letter. It’s to bad this thread doesn’t have more steam behind it. gCaptain seems like it would be a perfect sounding board for this type of communication amongst sailors and the powers that be. A well written letter with a substantial number of signers would be the ticket for a serious look from above. Seadog, big ups to you for posting what you wrote. Much appreciated.

Thanks, RR. I posted it in the hopes that others would copy or paraphrase it and send it in too. They need to hear from us. The situation is ridiculously out of hand. Every time I leave for work, I feel like I’ve been sentenced to another 30 days in the county lock up.

I agree, but does getting someone like Bay-Way to relax their ridiculous security standards fix that?

[QUOTE=Tugted;150920]Only facilities I’ve seen with scanners are Del City & Wando terminal.[/QUOTE]

APM terminal in Portsmouth, VA was one of the first. I was using it when still a contractor/tech rep.

Well I hope this proposed rule gives a nice square kick in the arse to these terminals that make life harder than it has to be for the mariner.

At most of the big terminals now you have to wait for the Terminal Security Unit truck to come by and get you, after you call them. Sometimes the wait is ridiculous, half an hour or more of your precious time waiting around, that’s if the offgoing shift remembers to tell the oncoming. And forget walking- the port police rent-a-cops will ream you a new one.

On bag searches- that too, is over the top. I saw suitcases being rifled through at the Portsmouth, VA terminal (former APM). Fortunately this isn’t the norm everywhere but it’s an invasion of privacy. I don’t want a rent-a-cop rifling through my shit any more than you do- the TSA does enough of that. As for the question of contraband let the Master decide, not some Barney Fife.

My friends in NJ tell me that some of the terminals there actually charge big money for non-TWIC escort- which is a racket and is aimed at the foreign guys who just want to go pick up some grub, clothing, and electronics at Best Buy (you’d be surprised!). THAT’S a disgrace that needs to stop right now, too.

I don’t see this stopping a terminal from requiring the vessels to be fully manned at all time, with the entire crew onboard? Oil terminal safety-man style; even if you could go through the terminal nobody could allowed to leave the vessel. Case in point is certain terminals that don’t let a tug leave a barge unattended.

I’m in the DC area, so I’m attending the public meeting. I’m sure the facilities people will send their lobbyists, so I want to be there to poke a stick in their eyes. If some of you would like to go but can’t make it, I want to be your representative. I intend to bring up the assumption about taxis being available, but it would be my deep and sincere honor to bring up any concerns you have about the proposed rule, or ideas to make it better.

[QUOTE=catherder;151348]Well I hope this proposed rule gives a nice square kick in the arse to these terminals that make life harder than it has to be for the mariner.

At most of the big terminals now you have to wait for the Terminal Security Unit truck to come by and get you, after you call them. Sometimes the wait is ridiculous, half an hour or more of your precious time waiting around, that’s if the offgoing shift remembers to tell the oncoming. And forget walking- the port police rent-a-cops will ream you a new one.

On bag searches- that too, is over the top. I saw suitcases being rifled through at the Portsmouth, VA terminal (former APM). Fortunately this isn’t the norm everywhere but it’s an invasion of privacy. I don’t want a rent-a-cop rifling through my shit any more than you do- the TSA does enough of that. As for the question of contraband let the Master decide, not some Barney Fife.

My friends in NJ tell me that some of the terminals there actually charge big money for non-TWIC escort- which is a racket and is aimed at the foreign guys who just want to go pick up some grub, clothing, and electronics at Best Buy (you’d be surprised!). THAT’S a disgrace that needs to stop right now, too.[/QUOTE]

I know of at least one terminal in Houston that will charge for non TWIC escort. . .

[QUOTE=cmakin;151436]I know of at least one terminal in Houston that will charge for non TWIC escort. . .[/QUOTE]

It’s a terrible thing to do to people. I liken it to a hostage situation. Pay me or stay on the boat. This should be illegal. I’ll review the proposed rule again to see if it addresses this and if not, make a comment.

Plus, the taxis can no longer drive in, you take the TSU vehicle or escort vehicle.

You can no longer walk in most places.

Contractors need terminal badges- some cost money- at most ports (when I was a contractor I had a badge for three state Port Authorities plus several smaller facilities in addition to TWIC) and it’s just out of control.

I feel like calling the cops and telling them I am being held against my will at some of these places. Especially in a small place where you can actually see the gate less than 100 yards away.