Port of San Francisco expands facial recognition for cruise passengers
Image from Unsplash
Passengers debarking from Princess Cruises ships at the Port of San Francisco can have their identities verified via facial recognition operated by U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP). CBP expanded the use of facial biometrics into the debarkation process at the Port of San Francisco, becoming the latest seaport to modernize efforts to revolutionize cruise travel.
When debarking the cruise vessel at the U.S. seaport, passengers will pause for a photo that will be compared to the traveler’s existing passport or visa photo in secure DHS systems to biometrically verify their identity.
Once verified, passengers are allowed to proceed through inspections and exit the terminal. This entry process aims to secure and enhance the user experience while protecting the privacy of all travelers. The arrival process using facial biometrics verifies the traveler’s identity within two seconds and is more than 98% accurate.
U.S. travelers and select foreign nationals who are not required to provide biometrics and wish to opt out of the new biometric process can request a manual document check from a CBP officer consistent with existing requirements for admission into the United States.
To date, facial biometric comparison technology has been installed at 15 seaports across the United States and has been used to process arriving passengers on cruise vessels in Florida, New Jersey, New York, Texas, California, Washington, Louisiana, Alabama, Puerto Rico and Maryland.
Looking for a reprint of this article?
From high-res PDFs to custom plaques, order your copy today!
