Kuala lumpur: Universiti Malaysia Terengganu (UMT), through the Faculty of Marine Science and Environment (FSSM), has received approximately RM460,000 in funding from the international body, Coral Research and Development Accelerator Platform (CORDAP), for a project to directly restore coral reefs in the ocean.

According to BERNAMA News Agency, the funding recognizes UMT researchers' expertise in tropical coral ecology and marine conservation. The project leader of Larval-Highway: A Scalable Larval Collection With Targeted Settlement System for Reef Rehabilitation (Larval-Highway), Associate Professor Dr. Tan Chun Hong, stated that the project would be implemented in collaboration with Prince of Songkla University, Thailand and Reef Check Malaysia.

The Larval-Highway project aims to empower the natural recovery of coral reefs by utilizing ocean currents to distribute larvae to affected reef areas. The system offers a low-cost and minimal carbon impact solution, potentially becoming a sustainable model for coral restoration in Malaysia and the Southeast Asian region.

UMT vice-chancellor Prof. Dr. Mohd Zamri Ibrahim emphasized that the project's implementation not only strengthens UMT's position as a research leader but also contributes to coral reef restoration efforts throughout the Coral Triangle region, one of the richest marine biodiversity areas globally. The vice-chancellor noted that only projects with high potential for global impact on marine conservation receive this funding.

CORDAP, an international platform under the G20 global initiative, supports research and technology development to accelerate coral reef recovery worldwide. Projects selected for funding, such as UMT's Larval-Highway, are those deemed to have significant global impact potential in marine conservation.