Since Sept. 11, 2001, ports have been given $565 million to beef up security, but where that money goes and what it goes for has been subject for debate.

Ports are still trying to achieve compliance with the Maritime Transportation Security Act of 2002's new standards for waterside surveillance, cargo screening, personnel improvements and regional planning.

Meanwhile, lawmakers, ports and the Department of Homeland Security are debating whether there is enough funding to cover every shoreline and how best to determine the danger to each individual port.

No foolproof formula exists for evaluating which would be the most likely target for terrorist activity.

"We share the concerns about the way this (new) program's been proposed," said Mark McAndrews, director of the Port of Pascagoula.

McAndrews said his port, which ranked 23rd in the nation for cargo volume in 2003, has received nearly $800,000 from DHS since the grant program began.

That has been enough, he added, to cover the cost of compliance with the MTSA. As for the new security standards DHS continues to issue, "we'll address those as they emerge. We have upgraded our security personnel, let me just put it that way."