British biometric firm iProov has revealed it was one of four vendors participating in the UK Home Office’s trials to enhance security and border control efficiency at UK maritime ports.
The trials, which ran between December 2024 and February 2025, considered solutions using facial comparison technology to identify travellers within their vehicles and link the confirmed passenger ID with the vehicle they are travelling in.
Increased passenger volumes, security pressures and the desire to improve the passenger experience have all led to a global trend of border agencies automating the border control process. However, the UK maritime ports are challenged by space and infrastructure constraints, which needed to be taken into consideration by participants of the trials, said iProov.
The trials had two key aims:
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- To use advanced facial comparison technology to identify people by capturing high-quality facial images within vehicles.
- To ensure the application links the confirmed passenger ID with the vehicle they are travelling in, enhancing security and border control efficiency.
There is a growing global trend by governments and their border agencies to automate border control processes. E-gates, biometric kiosks, contactless solutions, and advanced passenger information systems are becoming increasingly prevalent at airport percent of those surveyed indicated that rising customer demand is a major driver of their digital transformation efforts.
“This project marks a significant step towards a future where border control is seamless, secure, and automated by innovative technology. We’ve worked very closely with the Home Office on this initiative and are extremely impressed with their dedication to solving the challenges of maritime border security,” said Andrew Bud, founder and CEO, iProov.
“By bringing the latest identity verification technology to this critical domain, we aim to create a streamlined and efficient experience for all passengers that doesn’t compromise on speed or accuracy, and they never have to leave their vehicles.”
