Border Control Point Project

Following the UK's departure from the European Union, Portsmouth International Port required the development of a new Border Control Point (BCP) to support the inspection and processing of goods entering the UK. The facility needed to comply with evolving government requirements while maintaining port operations and providing the flexibility to accommodate future regulatory and operational demands.

The client required experienced CDM Principal Designer support to help manage the risks associated with the technical, operational, and compliance challenges associated with delivering a critical piece of port infrastructure for a wide range of government departments.

The Border Control Point needed to be developed within a live operational port environment against a backdrop of challenging post-Brexit legislation and evolving inspection requirements driven mostly by the Department of the Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA), and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). The project required careful consideration of operational efficiency, stakeholder needs, regulatory compliance, construction safety, and long-term asset management.

Key challenges included managing design and construction risks, maintaining operational continuity, coordinating multiple stakeholders, and ensuring that future inspection, maintenance, and operational requirements were fully considered throughout the project lifecycle.

The challenge was exacerbated due to the limitations set during the COVID lock down, where increased restrictions were enforced to ensure that the likelihood of spreading COVID was reduced to an absolute minimum.

Attis provided independent engineering, health & safety, and project advisory support throughout the development of the facility. Working closely with Portsmouth International Port and the wider project team, Attis reviewed designs, identified operational and safety risks, and challenged technical solutions to ensure the facility could be safely constructed, commissioned, and operated.

Drawing upon multidisciplinary engineering experience, Attis considered the full asset lifecycle, including design, construction, validation, maintenance, future modification, and day-to-day operation. Attis also supported project governance and stakeholder engagement activities, helping to align technical decisions with operational requirements, regulatory obligations, and programme objectives.

This collaborative approach helped reduce project risk, improve stakeholder confidence, and ensure health and safety considerations remained embedded throughout the project while supporting the successful delivery of a strategically important facility for the Port. 

"The development of the Border Control Point represented a critical investment in the future operation of the Port. Attis provided valuable engineering, safety, and project support throughout the programme, helping us manage risk, challenge solutions, and deliver a facility capable of meeting both current and future operational requirements."