According to Sam Chamberlain, Ponant Explorations’ CEO for the Americas, the company is focusing on sustainability through three main pillars: communities, research and technical aspects.

With a 12-ship fleet, the brand currently sails over 450 itineraries, visiting 110 countries across the world, Chamberlain said.

Working to expand its reach, the company usually opens up to 40 new destinations every year, he added.

A dedicated scouting team goes exploring potential new destinations across the globe, he continued, often in remote areas.

“Our fleet planning and our vision is that we want to be exploring; we want to be off the beaten track and get out of some of the more congested and crowded ports,” Chamberlain continued.

These new destinations, however, may not have much in terms of infrastructure, which adds to the complexity, he said.

“When you go where no one else does, bunkering and the marine and technical aspect become more complicated.”

This scenario also brings opportunities to give back and forge a closer relationship with communities, Chamberlain said.

He mentioned the company’s icebreaker Le Commandant Charcot, which sails to remote villages in Greenland and other polar regions.

“We also get there earlier than any other expedition cruise ship, so we are the first vessel that they see with supplies, probably two months before the rest of the season,” Chamberlain said.

The company also brings a well-received economic impact to destinations, he continued, adding that Ponant is “in a very beneficial place” as it caters to high-net-worth travelers.

“It all starts with the scouts, and the relationships and goodwill that we bring to have our small ships accepted at those destinations,” he said.

“We have lots of examples across Japan and Baja California, where the communities open up and embrace us because they see the sustainable impact that we can make on destinations.”

To Ponant, sustainability is a three-legged stool that, in addition to the impact on local communities, also includes scientific research and the actual marine and technical aspects of cruising.

“We are really pushing the needle to move all three of those in concert. But different regulations and different objectives across the board make it a challenging way,” he said.

Le Commandant Charcot sums up the company’s efforts, combining the three aspects in its project and operations.

In addition to partnering with communities during its itineraries, the ship is equipped with two research labs onboard.

“The vessel was built and conceived to have a wet and dry laboratory because of the diversity in the remote areas where it sails. We conduct a lot of scientific research onboard, really promoting sustainability and ice research,” Chamberlain explained.

The icebreaker is also powered by liquefied natural gas and hybrid electric to a degree, he continued.

“It really shows our innovation and positioning at the forefront in a very sustainable way,” he added.