Takeaways for India from the groundbreaking NEOM and OceanX Red Sea expedition

32 experts undertook a six-week expedition in the Red Sea, carrying out pioneering marine biological and oceanographic surveys in a part of the world that is still largely unexplored. The expedition, which took place in partnership with OceanX, reinforces NEOM’s commitment to science, conservation and safeguarding the planet – one of the G20’s key policy priorities. Marine conservation is considered one of the greatest scientific problems of our planet and given that 71% of the earth is covered by water, the state of our oceans is now one of the most pressing issues.

The findings of the expedition, including the discovery of climate-resistant coral and new species, are being used to drive the design and implementation of marine protected areas in order to meet the commitments of His Royal Highness Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Chairman of NEOM Company Board of Directors, to devote 95% of NEOM to the preservation of nature.

Dr Paul Marshall, Head of Nature Reserve at NEOM, said: “The global ocean system is in crisis, but the damage is reversible. We at NEOM are custodians of something very special and not much is known about this area of the northern Red Sea, so expeditions like this are crucial to understanding this important ecosystem. We believe that not only conserving but also improving, the health of our marine ecosystems, particularly our coral reefs, are key to our future and our success. The world-first expedition sets the stage for NEOM’s ambitious conservation program, which aspires to accelerate the transition to societies that live in harmony with nature.”


Findings captured over 960 hours of underwater research and mapping over 1,500 km2 of the sea bed in high-resolution 3D have established a baseline measure of biodiversity and habitat vitality that will allow NEOM to pursue its goal of both conserving and improving the health of surrounding ecosystems. “We have two exciting opportunities here, first to accelerate the restoration of ocean abundance and bring it back to its former glory. Secondly, inspiring people to be part of the journey in protecting our oceans for future generations,” Dr Marshall added.

Findings include:

• An ocean pinnacle 635m high (as tall as any of the world’s biggest skyscrapers except the Burj Khalifa)
• Two sightings of a large squid caught on camera and not previously observed in the region
• Confirmed presence of 12 species of megafauna in NEOM waters including whale sharks, dugong, turtles and dolphins
• The world’s most northern deep-sea brine pool (dense bodies of water that have a salinity that is three to eight times greater than the surrounding ocean)
• Recording coral reefs that are resilient to climate change
• Identification of 341 fish species of NEOM, 68 that are endemic and 18 that are globally threatened
• Eight new species were recorded and over 600km2 of biodiversity hotspots for fishes and corals discovered
• Detailed surveys of three unexplored islands
• Previously unrecorded tectonic plate shifts
• Three ancient maritime and shipwreck sites

India, with over 7,500 km of coastline and a varied marine ecosystem - from lagoons, estuaries, and coastal marshes to seagrass meadows, coral reefs, mudflats and sandy beaches, can take learnings from the expedition. Similar to the NEOM area and the Red Sea, India is facing threats that challenge the future of our oceans, including rapid habitat degradation, overfishing, incidental capture of megafauna and of course, climate change.

With recent programs in place that aim to conserve the unique diversity off the coast of India, we need to work collaboratively to protect and safeguard the world’s oceans. For instance, the expedition’s recording of coral reefs that are resilient to climate change has global learnings – it has the potential to change how we manage our oceans and maintain the beautiful coral reefs that exist within them.

Expeditions like these are vital to understanding how our oceans function, the marine ecosystems that live and thrive within them and most importantly, how we can save and maintain the world’s oceans in the face of challenges such as rising ocean temperatures. We need to continue to deepen our understanding of our planet’s oceans to ensure we are protecting them for generations to come.