Ports had no security before 2001? What does TSA do there?

The Coast Guard has long been responsible for port security. TSA does administer TWIC, the Transportation Worker Identification Credential program, which is a biometric identification system go access to secure port facilities.

Ports did indeed have very little security before 2001 (compared to now). See ISPS code: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Ship_and_Port_Fa...

Yeah, it was actually a lot of fun. I worked in a port-related area and often we would just cruise around the port and look at the ships. If it looked cool we would yell loudly and ask if we could come aboard. The seamen were usually thrilled to show us around their massive ships and would often invite us to a barbecue. With the introduction of the ISPS all of that was over in an instant.

Many of us were alive when the TSA was created. It's not a mystery why it's there. (Mostly so politicians could say they did something to improve air travel security.)

Well, and it did do something - make the experience more consistently mediocre. Which is indeed something.

Previously, some airports were even more of a nightmare, and others were actually pleasant.