Case Study: BVI Ports Authority Port Facilities

The challenge

Moisture and mold across busy port buildings

The BVI Ports Authority asked us to assess moisture and mold concerns at five of its facilities on Tortola: Road Town Ferry Terminal, the DeCastro Building in Road Town, Port Purcell (the Main Cargo Port Terminal), West End Ferry Terminal and Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park.

All five are busy public and working facilities in a hot, humid, coastal climate, where wind-driven rain, salt air and humidity put constant stress on building envelopes and air conditioning.

DeCastro Building, Road Town Ferry Terminal, Port Purcell, Tortola Pier Park and West End Ferry Terminal

The facilities

Five port buildings on Tortola

DeCastro Building, Road Town

Port Purcell, Main Cargo Port Terminal

Cyril B. Romney Tortola Pier Park

West End Ferry Terminal

What we found

Inspection findings

Building envelope

Damaged and deteriorated stucco and wall cladding, paint and coating failure from moisture getting behind the finish, failed window and door sealants, unsealed wall and roof penetrations, metal panel and flashing defects, and chronic moisture staining.

HVAC & humidity

Air conditioning systems that were not operating or poorly maintained, condensation on refrigerant lines and supply ducting, missing or failed line insulation, detached ducting, dirty filters, and areas that were not properly conditioned, leading to elevated indoor humidity.

Water damage

Plumbing leaks, active moisture intrusion and water-damaged materials inside the buildings.

Lab results

Laboratory testing confirmed mold-related concerns in all of the facilities, including significant results in some offices. Tortola Pier Park, the newest facility, needed the fewest corrective repairs.

Our approach

Correct, remediate, prevent

Inspect & test

Room-by-room inspection of each facility in July 2026, with moisture readings and lab air and surface sampling.

Phase 1: Correct

A corrective scope of work to stop moisture at the source: envelope and waterproofing repairs, sealants and flashings, HVAC, ducting and insulation fixes, and plumbing leaks.

Phase 2: Remediate

A mold remediation plan following ANSI/IICRC S520 principles and EPA guidance: containment, HEPA filtration, removal and detailed cleaning, drying and disposal.

Verify

Post-remediation verification by air or surface sampling, compared with outdoor control samples.

Phase 3: Prevent

A preventative plan for humidity control, air purification, UV-C, mini-split maintenance and ongoing monitoring, so mold doesn't return.

Correct the cause

Envelope and roofing corrections are delivered together with our construction partner, Professional Roofing.

Timeline

Project milestones

Jul 1–3, 2026
Inspection of Road Town Ferry Terminal
Jul 17–21, 2026
Inspection of Port Purcell, West End Ferry Terminal and Tortola Pier Park
Aug 5, 2026
Corrective measures, remediation and prevention plan for Port Purcell, West End and Pier Park