LOS ANGELES--While the Port of Los Angeles will be one of the last ports in the country to implement the Transportation Worker Identification Card program today, it will be one of the first to test and evaluate the biometric element of TWIC.

Currently, the Coast Guard is verifying worker identification using the flash pass method where they authenticate the name and photo of the card holder as well as several of the enhanced security features integrated into the cards including holograms and variable inks. However, the biometric element of TWIC, which verifies the fingerprint of the cardholder, is yet to be integrated into the authentication process.

Starting this summer, the Port of L.A. will be one of only five ports in the country to field test the biometric card readers at three of its 24 terminals, said Jill Taylor, deputy director of homeland security for the Port of L.A. "The most important thing, especially in these economic times, is to ensure security while at the same time maintaining a positive flow of goods through the port," Taylor said. "Some of the factors we're considering when looking at various readers is that we don't want something to hold up commerce." The terminals are aiming for a four-second read at fixed and mobile readers, she said.

The terminals, which are leased out by the port and are managed separately, have all completed the grant process to purchase the readers as well as the environmental assessments to begin the field tests, she said, but one of the major hold-ups is the initial outlay of finances to purchase readers.

"The terminals are open and eager [to begin testing], but one of the main issues is due to economic conditions," she said. "There are a lot of issues with finances at each terminal and they're reluctant to spend money, even knowing they're going to get it back in a few months."

The port chose three diverse terminals to serve as a testing ground including a cargo terminal, liquid bulk terminal and a passenger/cruise terminal. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of the equipment at each terminal, the Port of L.A. has contracted with Unisys.

"Our responsibility as the program manager is to help the Port of L.A. and its terminals think through the TWIC process," said Nishant Pillai, director, cargo and port security practice at Unisys. Unisys will evaluate a number of products and Pillai said the Transportation Security Administration has given them the go ahead to "spread the wealth and test as many solutions as are available."

But choosing the right kind of solution is not the only challenge ports have in implementing TWIC. It is often this operations aspect, the process and protocol side, that is critical. "The larger the port and the heavier the transactions, the greater the need to evaluate the process and the impact of technology," said Ted Langhoff, practice director, cargo and port security practice at Unisys. For example, "in L.A., if you add 'X' amount of time to the ingress process and multiply that by 5,000 trucks every day, you begin to see the issues and that's where you need to evaluate operations."

Pillai said before installations, port directors need to conduct an analysis of their operations. "They need to have a good handle on who the different stakeholders are such as workers, visitors, vendors and subcontractors. They need to know their population so they can plan accordingly for volume."

Other considerations include knowing all ingress locations and whether readers will need to be placed at those locations or if they can consolidated. Also, establishing an exception process as well as an escort policy are also important.

"Technology is an enabler," said Pillai, but ports must have the processes and protocols in place to comply with regulations, ensure heightened security but not hindering commerce.