Along the KAUST shoreline at Thuwal, the remains of a traditional wooden fishing boat were uncovered within the footprint of an old coastal village. Erosion and modern activity were placing this heritage at risk. KAUST Beacon Development (KBD) launched a rescue archaeology effort to record, preserve, and share the site through a high-fidelity digital twin, protecting a rare piece of Red Sea maritime history for research and the community.
Traditional vessels—sambūk, houri canoes, and motorised adaptations—once underpinned Thuwal’s fishing livelihoods. As shorelines evolve, the material record is fading fast. The Thuwal boat offers a rare opportunity to safeguard local identity while building a practical model for fast, respectful documentation at sensitive coastal sites.
The wreck lay in a restless intertidal zone where salt, sun, and shifting sediments accelerate decay. Documentation had to be precise yet gentle—no excavation, no disturbance—while fitting within active shoreline works and tight decision timelines. The task was to deliver sub-centimetre accuracy and clear guidance that balanced heritage, ecology, and development.
KBD delivered a regulator-ready record without lifting a single plank. We established precise ground control, captured thousands of overlapping photographs, and verified geometry with handheld LiDAR. The result is a georeferenced digital twin—orthomosaic, metrically scaled 3D meshes, measured drawings, and clear provenance—built for planners, regulators, and the public.
Accurate by design: RTK/GNSS control and calibrated scale bars anchor every image and model to sub-centimetre truth.
Two ways of seeing: High-overlap DSLR photogrammetry creates richly textured surfaces; SLAM LiDAR adds millions of points to confirm shape and capture context.
Ready for decisions: Orthomosaic + three reliable 3D meshes (bow, mid-body frames, stern), with QA/QC, metadata, and measured drawings.
Made for sharing: A simple web/VR viewer concept and curated captions translate specialist data for non-technical audiences.
This approach showcases how early, informed engagement with key stakeholders and design teams facilitates informed land use planning, enhancing preservation of sensitive biodiversity, long-term development value, and setting new standards for coastal development in ecologically sensitive coastal regions.
What began as a fragile shoreline find is now a durable evidence base. By pairing non-intrusive capture with strict QA/QC, we delivered a measurable digital twin that serves regulators, planners, researchers, and the public without lifting a single plank. The result is confidence today and compounding value tomorrow.
Decision-grade accuracy under pressure. More than 200 calibrated photos across three model areas, validated by SLAM LiDAR, achieved better than 10-mm measurement confidence credible enough to underpin approvals and design choices.
Preservation without disturbance. The site remains intact while the record is permanent; teams can measure, interpret, and share the wreck digitally, reducing repeat access and wear.
From evidence to action. Orthomosaic, 3D meshes, and measured drawings translated directly into avoid-and-protect buffers, works sequencing, and monitoring plans accelerating review and lowering project risk.
A baseline that compounds value. Today’s archive enables seasonal change detection, targeted conservation, and future research—forming a replicable Red Sea playbook aligned with Vision 2030.
This project transforms a vulnerable find into a strategic asset. It delivers decision-grade evidence for planners, preserves Red Sea maritime heritage for communities, and provides future-ready, reusable datasets for monitoring, education, and immersive engagement.
Heritage protection embedded in planning-not added at the end.
Cultural ValuePreserves Red Sea boatbuilding knowledge for education, tourism, and identity.
Future-Proof DataA reusable digital record ready for monitoring, research, and immersive outreach.
With a multidisciplinary team of over 150 professionals KBD combines local talent with global experts under one roof. Our mission is to drive transformative change and help achieve the nation’s Vision 2030 by providing strategic, science-backed solutions.
