Facial biometrics for access control of cruise passengers in the Port of Boston

Project leader

Responsible for the project is the U.S. CBP (Bureau of Customs and Border Protection) in collaboration with Norwegian Cruise Line and the Port of Boston.

Description of the project

The project, carried out at the Port of Boston, involves the introduction of facial recognition technology into the cruise ship disembarkation process.

Upon disembarkation, passengers will be required to have their photograph taken quickly, which will be immediately compared with their passport or visa photo stored in secure systems at the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. On the other hand, those travelers who do not wish to participate in the facial recognition process will be able to opt for a traditional manual document check by a CBP officer.

Especially in the last 2 years, this type of facial recognition systems have been introduced at different U.S. Ports. As of March 2023, this technology has prevented 1,750 impostors from illegally entering the country through ports and airports. The accuracy of this technology is astounding, with a 98% hit rate, the arrival process using facial biometrics verifies the traveler’s identity in just two seconds.

This project marks an important step in the application of innovative technology to strengthen border security and enhance the travel experience, contributing to the modernization of port infrastructure and efficiency in the cruise entry and exit processes.

Objectives of the project

The main objectives of this project are to improve security at the Port of Boston by verifying the identity of passengers effectively and accurately, and to prevent the illegal entry of impostors.

In addition, the use of facial biometric identity verification also seeks to streamline the cruise passenger check-in and check-out process, reducing wait times and improving the travel experience.

Finally, this project also aims to create entry and exit records for foreigners.