On November 27, 2015, the Coast Guard made an announcement
concerning its Homeport website via Maritime Commons (http://mariners.coastguard.dodlive.mil/2015/11/27/11272015-homeport-2-0-news-and-information/
). The information is also posted on the Homeport website, http://homeport.uscg.mil .
We have been hearing for quite a while about
upcoming changes to Homeport – these changes are happening and happening soon.
Below is the text of the announcement from the Homeport/CG-FAC website:
“The United States Coast
Guard (USCG) Homeport Internet Portal (HIP) was established in 2005 to
facilitate compliance with the requirements set forth in the Maritime
Transportation Security Act (MTSA) of 2002, by providing secure information
dissemination, advanced collaboration, electronic submission and approval for
vessel and facility security plans, and complex electronic and
telecommunication notification capabilities.
Since its inception, HIP has
been expanded to provide additional support such as Transportation Worker
Identification Card New Hire; Electronic Vessel Response Plan; Marine Event
Permit Process; Port Status Indicator; Merchant Mariner Licensing and
Documentation; Marine Training and Assessment Data (training documentation);
Merchant Mariner Certificate; Sea Service Calculator; Merchant Mariner
Verification of Certificates; and Merchant Mariner Credential Survey
The Coast Guard will launch Homeport 2.0 Jan. 29, 2016
in order to provide a better user experience and improve the security of user
information. Upgrades will include fewer site navigation menus and more
efficient and secure search functions.
Although most features will be available as
soon as the new site launches, user access to a few conveniences may be
interrupted. Review the Homeport 2.0 Deployment Schedule for
details. Functions that are essential to maintaining port security or that are
critical to continuing the flow of commerce will remain available during the
transition period.
Alternative solutions are available for most
features taken offline during the transition. Anyone who needs access to a
service normally obtained through HIP should contact the appropriate subject
matter expert listed in the Homeport 2.0 Deployment Schedule.
From the
Deployment Schedule:
Uninterrupted services:
· TWIC new hire procedures
· Port
status query
· Merchant Mariner Application Status
· VRP
Express
· Vessels
& facilities search
· Merchant
Mariner Credential Verification
· Merchant
Mariner Sea Service Calculator
· Most core
CG accessible-only functions
Services unavailable Jan.
29 - March 31, 2016
· Mariner
Training & Assessment Database
· Security Plans Temporary
· Merchant
Mariner Credential Survey
Services unavailable Jan. 29 - April 30,
2016
· Merchant Mariner Certificate
· Marine
Event Application Temporary
The FAQ
document (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg544/docs/Homeport_2%200_FAQs_AllUsers1%201.pdf)
lists work-arounds for most unavailable services in a Deployment Schedule (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg544/docs/Homeport%20Application%20Deployment%20Schedule.pdf
). There is a separate FAQ document (http://www.uscg.mil/hq/cg5/cg544/docs/Homeport_2%200_FAQs_CommunityOwners1%201.pdf
) for community owners, who need to pay careful attention to deadlines. The
deadline for migrating community content is January 29, 2016. This is a hard deadline. “Legacy Homeport
will be taken offline as of Jan. 29, 2016, and community owners should make all
efforts to meet this deadline. Any content that is not transferred will be
auto-archived and will not be easily accessible.”
