NEOM and KAUST to create the world’s largest coral garden
NEOM and King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) announced their entry into a joint project to establish the most extensive coral garden in the world on Shusha Island, located on the shores of the Red Sea in NEOM and covering an area of 100 hectares.
The island will be a global centre for displaying innovations and efforts to protect coral reefs. The project is scheduled to be completed in 2025, and NEOM will become a world leader in coral reef restoration and development.
According to SPA, CEO of NEOM, Engineer Nazmi Al-Nasr, said: “We are working within an integrated system to preserve the environment and all its components, and we seek to preserve coral reefs in particular and marine life in general.”
For his part, KAUST President Tony Chan explained that KAUST has pioneering research in the Red Sea environment, and this promising project with NEOM is one of the largest technology transfer deals in KAUST:
“We look forward to working alongside NEOM to improve our lives through science and technology,” he said.
He indicated that Shusha Island in the Red Sea is home to more than 300 species of coral and 1,000 species of fish. The coral garden will provide a unique opportunity for research and development to preserve coral reefs and attract scientists, researchers and eco-friendly tourism lovers.
NEOM will use Maritechture technology, developed by scientists from the Red Sea Research Center and the Coastal and Marine Resources Laboratory at KAUST, first on the beach reefs and then the island’s coral gardens.
It is noteworthy that this project will enable NEOM to be a new tourist icon, as it is a future destination with a global character.
