DP World has opened the UAE’s first land-based coral exhibition for reef restoration, alongside Coral Vita, a pioneering company that grows corals to restore dying reefs, an important milestone in their strategic partnership to enhance the health and resilience of coral reefs around the world.
Coral Vita’s land-based farms use solar-powered, closed-loop systems that mimic natural ocean conditions and optimize coral growth and survival. Coral Vita also engages local communities and stakeholders to ensure the long-term success and sustainability of its restoration projects.
Coral Vita has established this facility to showcase a scalable restoration approach capable of accelerating the growth of native corals up to fifty times faster than in their natural habitats, while also bolstering their resilience to rising temperatures linked to climate change. DP World and Coral Vita are working in collaboration with the Dubai municipality on this pilot project.
The facility functions primarily as a demonstration center but has significant potential for the near future, playing a vital role in supporting regional initiatives to scale restoration solutions by building synergies with broader stakeholders, contributing to a sustainable blue economy in the UAE and globally.
Coral reefs are among the most diverse and valuable ecosystems on earth, supporting over 25% of marine life, providing food, livelihoods and coastal protection for an estimated one billion people, providing compounds for medicines, and generating billions in tourism and fisheries revenues each year.
However, they face an unprecedented crisis due to climate change, pollution, overfishing and other threats. More than 50% of the world’s reefs have already been lost and over 90% are projected to die by 2050.
DP World and Coral Vita will continue to explore opportunities to integrate coral farming and restoration into DP World global network of ports and terminals, as well as to raise awareness and educate the public about the importance of coral reefs for our oceans and livelihoods.
Photo credit: DP World
