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TSA Issues the First TWIC Card to Eugene Bailey |
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Wilmington, DE - The Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will issue the first Transportation Worker Identification Credential (TWIC) card at the Port of Wilmington to Eugene R. Bailey, the Diamond State Port Corporation’s (DSPC) Executive Director on Wednesday, July 23, at 8:00am. The TWIC card is a system-wide common credential to provide authorized access to each transportation worker entering and leaving facilities of the nation’s transportation system. The TSA selected the Port of Wilmington as one of 3 maritime sites on the US East Coast to test the use of the TWIC card, and as the first port on the East Coast to issue this card. This test is designed to identify the most compatible and cost effective technologies to be included in the card, and will provide valuable data that will be used for the future development of the TWIC program. As a result of the events of September 11, 2001 the US Patriot Act of 2001, the Aviation and Transportation Security Act of 2001 (ATSA), and the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002 (MTSA) called for development of the TWIC program. A single credential for all modes of transportation will be created and which will minimize the need for separate credentials. For example, a truck driver visiting the Port of Wilmington and other ports in the East Coast will use a single TWIC card to gain authorized access all facilities instead of having separate cards for each location. In the next two weeks, the TSA is planning to issue TWIC cards to all customers, tenants and employees of the Port and will be testing this card thru the end of the year. In the past year, the Port of Wilmington received $2.15 million from the TSA Port Security Grant Program. This grant money will used to upgrade the security at the Port of Wilmington, which includes new gatehouses and a computerized access control system that will allow for more efficient and secure access to the Port of Wilmington. The TWIC card is compatible with this new advanced access control system. “I am very proud to receive the first TWIC card issued here at the Port of Wilmington and the first card to be issued at a maritime port on the US East Coast”, said Eugene R. Bailey, DSPC Executive Director. “We are delighted to partner with the TSA on the TWIC project which will benefit our Port community and contribute to the security of the nation’s transportation system”, he added.
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For
further information, digital photos, free tours of the Port and free
speakers contact: Vered Nohi-Becker, Marketing Services Manager
at the Port of Wilmington |
