PORTLAND – Maine’s seaports are not immune from escalated levels of security after the worst terrorist attacks on U.S. soil, with Coast Guard escorts and intensified searches among the new measures.

Schedules of cruise ships that call in Maine also have been altered, mainly because stops in New York City have been temporarily dropped.

The Coast Guard is escorting all tankers and cruise ships in and out of Portland.

The Coast Guard also is ordering that any provisions taken off or on cruise ships be opened and examined. In addition, it’s limiting to one the number of vessels in port with more than 300 tons of refined oil, which can be explosive.

“The goal is to put restrictions on all high-risk cargoes,” said Coast Guard Lt. j.g. Michael McCarthy. “That means passengers and refined-oil products, like gasoline.”

U.S. Customs officials inspected passengers as well as crew members on the cruise ship Cape May Light, which sailed from Halifax, Nova Scotia. The city of Portland is restricting parking and vehicle access around the International Marine Terminal, where cruise ships dock.

“The concept is that any facility with a large amount of people is a target,” said Ben Snow, Portland’s marine operations manager.

Coast Guard patrols from coastal stations also have been increased.

The cruise ship Carnival Victory, which was due to arrive in Portland on Monday, moved up its scheduled Maine call by a day because it last unloaded and loaded passengers in Boston rather than its home port, New York City, said Portland Transportation Director Jeff Monroe.

Holland-America Line has scheduled two new calls in Portland because it is unable to go to New York City, Monroe added.

Security also is heightened at Maine airports and transportation venues away from the coast.

Maine state troopers who patrol major highways are keenly watching passing motorists, looking for anything out of the ordinary, state police Sgt. George Dennison said. But he noted that troopers are not engaged in racial profiling.

“Because most people of Arab descent, whether Pakistani, Afghani or whatever, are perfectly law-abiding, you can’t just go after them,” Dennison said. “And we’re not.”