1.   Beefed-up port security promises to push up the cost of transporting goods on north-south routes.

2.   Early Sunday morning, Tacoma police asked for help from port security to catch the stowaways.

3.   Overseas port security is old hat to both groups, but translating that experience to home ports could present problems.

4.   Taking note of this growing problem, President Clinton intends to establish a national commission to combat seaport crime and beef up port security.

5.   The bill to improve port security was drafted by Sens. Ernest F. Hollings, D-S.C., and Bob Graham, D-Fla.

6.   The MSST units combine the functions of existing port security and waterborne law-enforcement units.

7.   The Senate measure includes more money than the president requested to help local police, firefighters and emergency workers, for port security and to fight bioterrorism.

8.   The Senate measure includes more money than the president requested to help local police, firefighters and emergency workers, for port security and to fight bio-terrorism.

9.   Transportation Secretary Norman Mineta underscored the importance of port security in testimony before a House committee yesterday.