What happens when aviation and maritime industries work together on hydrogen technologies? Which infrastructures already exist — and what is still to come? And above all: how can you get involved?

These were the key questions at the first H2AM Day on June 24, 2025, at the ZAL TechCenter. H2AM stands for Hanseatic Hydrogen Center for Aviation and Maritime — a project funded by the German government and the EU, bringing together the aviation and maritime sectors for systematic collaboration in hydrogen research for the first time. The goal is to build infrastructure, leverage synergies, and jointly shape the climate-friendly mobility of tomorrow.

In a high-profile panel discussion, Isabell Gradert (Airbus), Dr. Jessica Lück (TKMS), Prof. Carlos Jahn (Fraunhofer CML), and Roland Gerhards (ZAL GmbH) discussed opportunities, challenges, and synergies offered by H2AM. The session was moderated by Jan Rispens (Cluster Renewable Energies Hamburg). The panelists agreed: the added value of H2AM lies not only in technical solutions but also in building expertise and fostering intensive knowledge transfer between industries.

The day was accompanied by expert presentations and an exhibition of innovative companies and research institutions such as HYDAC, FFT Produktionssysteme, LIFTE H2, and Fraunhofer IFAM.

Would you like to get involved? The “H2AM ZAL TechCenter” working group welcomes new participants from the aviation, maritime, and hydrogen industries: Link to the working group.