Giving back to the community continues to be at the core of PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ philosophy. Having operated in Australia for twelve years, the small-ship operator joined forces with national food rescue organisation OzHarvest last year to support various of their initiatives in the Northern Territory.
Launched in March 2025, the partnership has focused on getting fresh, nutritious food to some of the most remote communities in the Northern Territory, while also investing in food education for the next generation through OzHarvest’s FEAST program. In March the two organisations celebrated a year in which the collaboration delivered 27,581 meals (the equivalent of 13,626 kilograms of food) to communities across the Northern Territory, while bringing food waste education to more than 1,000 students in schools across the region.
Reaching Australia’s Top End
In the Northern Territory, PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ support has helped OzHarvest reach families who face significant barriers to accessing fresh food, from weekly pop-up markets in Jabiru, which supply fresh fruit and vegetables to around 15 families every Tuesday, to charter flights carrying produce to the Marlkawo Homeland in West Arnhem Land. The support has been especially critical during the wet season when roads become impassable and remote communities’ risk being cut off entirely.
Bringing Food Education to the Classroom
Beyond food relief, PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ support has powered OzHarvest’s FEAST program bringing hands-on food waste and sustainability education into classrooms. Over the past year, 12 schools from the NT enrolled in the program, reaching 1,040 young Territorians and training 17 teachers to deliver the program. At Living Waters Lutheran College in Alice Springs, families were invited to share traditional recipes and native foods as part of the program, creating what teachers described as moments of cultural pride and connection alongside the lessons on food waste.
“PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ support in the Northern Territory is helping put good food on plates today while giving young people the tools to create a better tomorrow,” commented Ronni Kahn AO, OzHarvest Founder & Visionary in Residence.
A Partnership Beyond Funding
The collaboration has extended well beyond financial support, with forty-nine PONANT EXPLORATIONS team members and partners volunteering with OzHarvest’s for Cooking for a Cause program, helping to prepare 392 meals for people in need at OzHarvest’s market in Waterloo, Sydney.
PONANT EXPLORATIONS Asia Pacific CEO Deb Corbett also led the company’s participation in OzHarvest’s CEO CookOff in October 2025, raising enough funds to deliver an additional 10,768 meals for vulnerable Australians.
“We’re delighted to continue our partnership with OzHarvest. Australia has been part of Ponant Explorations’ story for a long time and partnering with OzHarvest is how we choose to reinvest in the communities here.” concludes Deb Corbett, PONANT EXPLORATIONS’ CEO Asia Pacific.
