The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan Announces New Ocean Innovation Hub in Partnership with Innovative Blue Technology Company Voyacy Regen
NICE, France , June 9, 2025 /CNW/ -- Today, His Majesty King Abdullah II ibn Al Hussein announced a new partnership with blue technology company Voyacy Regen, cofounded by Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau, to build a new ocean technology accelerator and innovation hub in Aqaba, Jordan . Under the Aqaba Marine Park (AMP) initiative, this groundbreaking project will focus on regenerating coral reefs and critical coastal marine infrastructure at scale to create a climate-resilient world where people and the ocean can thrive.
"Today's announcement marks a pivotal step forward in our effort to embed sustainable practices and climate actions as an integral part of Jordan's economic growth, while establishing safeguards that will protect the kingdom's environment and natural resources for future generations," said Hussein Al-Safadi , CEO of Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC). "The Aqaba Marine Park will play a vital role in regenerating coral reefs, strengthening climate resilience, and promoting the sustainable use of ocean resources, in alignment with His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision for Aqaba, and with the guidance and support of the AMP's International Honorary Advisory Board."
Coral reefs absorb up to 97% of storm surge and are critical barriers against increasingly catastrophic storms that already cause billions of dollars of damage and threaten millions of lives. However, coral reefs are disappearing at an alarming rate – it's estimated that half of the world's corals have disappeared since the 1950s, with 14% vanishing between 2009 and 2018 alone.
"This partnership with the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan is deeply meaningful to me, and I am honored to be working with His Majesty King Abdullah II," said Philippe Cousteau, Co-founder of Voyacy Regen and Aqaba Marine Park International Honorary Advisory Board Member. "Coastal communities are on the front lines of our rapidly changing world, and we couldn't think of a better partner than Jordan to scale the tangible solutions we need to solve this crisis."
Located within the Aqaba Marine Nature Reserve, under ASEZA's supervision, and home to one of the Red Sea's most vibrant coral reefs and marine ecosystems, the Aqaba Marine Park, in cooperation with Voyacy, will focus on large-scale coral reef regeneration and coastal marine infrastructure to help create a climate-resilient future where both people and the ocean can thrive.
Traditional methods of coral restoration, which involve growing small batches of corals and planting manually, cannot be implemented at the scale and speed needed to meet this crisis. Utilizing Voyacy's approaches, the Innovation Hub in Aqaba represents a nexus of action that will see the development and implementation of new, best-in-class technologies.
The core technology combines 3D-printed reef structures, designed to absorb wave energy, with aquacultured heat-tolerant corals and AI technology. This allows for the rapid and cost-effective deployment of infrastructure that can protect coastal communities against destructive storms while promoting biodiversity. Voyacy and Jordan have mobilized a coral propagation farm and deployed a best-in-class commercial-scale 3D printer in Aqaba to accelerate this technology.
About the Aqaba Development Corporation
The Aqaba Development Corporation (ADC) is the government's investment arm for Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZ), owning and managing key assets including ports, airport, and land. ADC drives sustainable growth by enabling investment and infrastructure across six priority sectors: tourism, manufacturing, green energy, logistics, creative industries, and education, and leads multiple initiative to support the blue economy.
About the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA)
Launched in 2001, the Aqaba Special Economic Zone (ASEZA) is designed and developed to embody and emphasize His Majesty King Abdullah II's vision for Aqaba. The Royal Vision is committed to transforming Aqaba into a world-class business hub and leisure destination, while putting the community's welfare and preserving the city's environmental and cultural heritage at heart. As Aqaba's transformation plans were set in motion, over the past 24 years, enormous milestones were achieved by mobilizing the Zone's government institutions, community, and the private sector.
About Voyacy Regen
Founded by Philippe and Ashlan Cousteau, Voyacy Regen is a pioneering blue tech company that combines human ingenuity, breakthrough technology, and innovative partnerships to solve one of the biggest problems facing coastal communities around the world; the collapse of the natural ocean systems that protect us. Voyacy's core technology combines 3D-printed reef structures, designed to absorb wave energy, with aquacultured heat-tolerant corals and AI technology, resulting in a commercially viable solution that will protect coastal communities, build the blue economy, and increase biodiversity. Learn more: https://voyacy.com/.
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