A new study led by researchers at Ocean Revive and KAUST explores a key question for the future of coral restoration: how cost-effective are current restoration methods, and where can we improve?

Key Takeaways

  • The median cost per coral outplant is estimated at around $10 USD
  • Ocean-based nurseries are generally cheaper than land-based ones, especially in low-income countries
  • Cleaning frequency dramatically affects cost in ocean-based nurseries
  • Outplanting costs vary by technique, with some methods being 10× more expensive than others
  • Automating processes could reduce costs in high-income nations
  • Standardised reporting is needed to improve transparency and guide smarter investments

Main Findings

Ocean-based nurseries are more cost-effective. In Kenya, ocean-based nurseries could cost as little as $0.0004–0.059 per coral per day compared to $0.003–0.116 per coral per day in the US. Weekly cleaning could make nurseries up to 18× more expensive than no-cleaning approaches.

Land-based nurseries offer control but at a price. In the US, costs were estimated at over $200,000 for initial set-up, over $579,000/year for labour, and over $30,000/year for energy. These systems may be better suited for high-value species or locations with limited ocean access.

Outplanting costs vary widely. Depending on the technique, the cost of attaching one coral to the reef ranged from $0.84 to over $30. The fastest and cheapest techniques were nail-based solutions without adhesive (e.g. Maritechture™ reef nails) — costing $1.37–$2.16 per coral at ~1 minute per coral to outplant.

Labour costs create big global gaps. In Kenya, diver labour costs around $6.33/hour vs $70.43/hour in the US — the same project can cost 10× more in high-income countries.

At Ocean Revive, We're Applying These Lessons

One of the standout innovations featured in the research, the Maritechture™ reef nails, was designed by our CEO Dr Sebastian Schmidt-Roach. Recognised as one of the fastest and most affordable outplanting techniques, these nails are the foundation of Ocean Revive's core technology platform.

Read the full research paper here.

Bibliography

  • Schmidt-Roach, S., Knorr, T., Roch, C., Klaus, R., Klepac, C., Klein, S.G. and Duarte, C.M., 2025. Cost-efficiency and effectiveness of coral restoration pathways. Restoration Ecology, 33(1), p.e14326.