BUFFALO GROVE, Ill., March 23 (UPI) -- The U.S. Coast Guard has approved a Siemens Building Technologies video-surveillance system for use at the Port of Wilmington in Delaware.
Siemens says its trademarked Siveillance SiteIQ video-surveillance technology has been approved for use by security authorities at the Port of Wilmington to monitor visitors to the port without the new Transportation Worker Identification Credential.
The TWIC program, being implemented by the Transportation Security Administration at ports across the United States, is designed to ensure security at ports through extensive biometric and credential background checks. The TWIC identification enables longshore workers, truckers and other port workers unescorted access to port areas.
Siemens said its SiteIQ system would support around-the-clock monitoring of designated secure areas.
"The Coast Guard advised us that if we were able to ensure 24/7 monitoring of certain secure areas that we use for vehicle staging and other operational reasons, we would not have to provide physical escorts for vehicles and their drivers," Patrick Hemphill, port security manager at the Port of Wilmington.
"This will help us reduce our costs involved with TWIC compliance and implementation."
