by Diana Lucio
Published: Thu, December 04, 2008 - 10:48 pm CST
Last Updated: Thu, December 04, 2008 - 11:06 pm CST
A new Federal identification program is underway to protect United States port zones. The Transportation Worker Identification Credential Program, also known as 'TWIC', requires all port workers to get a new Federal I.D. card.
Workers will not be given access to any port unless they have this new form of identification.
Congress pushed for the program after September 11th in an effort to beef up security in U.S. ports.
Officials with Alabama Port Authority tell News Five although the deadline to get the I.D. is December 30th, almost 6,000 have not been claimed.
"We're really quite concerned that there isn't enough time left to accommodate all these folks and what we're trying to do is to get the message out for folks to get in here as soon as they can to get their cards so they are able to go to work on December 31st and there after,"Said Judy Adams with Alabama Port Authority.
Port workers can get their identification cards at Mobile's International Trade Center.
The center is open Monday through Friday from 7am to 7pm and on Saturday from 8am to 4pm.
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