Hydrogen Production Takes to the High Seas: PowerCell Joins EU GAMMA Project for Clean Maritime Power

Ever caught yourself daydreaming about a giant bulk carrier powered by something shinier than heavy fuel oil? Welcome to the GAMMA project—where a 60,000 DWT bulk carrier will run everything from lights and pumps to navigation electronics on a 1 MW hydrogen fuel cell system, with the H2 made onboard from clean ammonia and biomethanol.

This isn’t Europe’s first rodeo with hydrogen fuel cells on ferries and coastal runs, but GAMMA is by far the first deep-sea retrofit at this scale.

A Decade of R&D Meets Maritime Ambition

Launched in early 2024, GAMMA is a five-year Horizon Europe programme, bankrolled with €13 million of EU cash in a €17 million budget. It wraps up years of R&D on hydrogen production, storage, and reformer design—while simultaneously polishing fuel cell technology—all driven by the IMO’s net-zero-by-2050 goals. Sixteen partners—from Germany’s Fraunhofer to Norway’s SINTEF and Italy’s Politecnico di Milano—are teaming up to pull off this ambitious demo, marking a big step forward for Europe’s industrial decarbonization ambitions.

Real-World Demo on Deep-Sea Vessels

Coordinated by Iceland’s engineering consultancy Verkis, the retrofit happens on a vessel managed by Italy’s ANT Topic. Instead of clattering diesel generators below deck, the ship will sport a proton exchange membrane (PEM) fuel cell system cranking out 1 MW to keep hotel loads, pumps, and electronics humming during long ocean passages.

“This at-sea demo gives us the hard data we need to de-risk hydrogen fuel cells for the shipping world,” says Richard Berkling, CEO of PowerCell Group. Born as a Volvo spin-off in 2009, PowerCell has spent years refining its fuel cell technology in cars and power grids—and now it’s setting its sights on the high seas.

Onboard Hydrogen from Clean Ammonia

Let’s be real: stashing pure hydrogen on a ship is a logistical headache—think heavy tanks, extreme cooling, or insane pressures. GAMMA’s workaround? Carrying clean ammonia and biomethanol—liquids that behave at ambient temps—and reforming them onboard into H2. It’s classic petrochemical know-how meets renewable feedstocks. The result? A steady flow of hydrogen into those PEM stacks, with water vapor as the only exhaust.

“By blending ammonia and biomethanol reforming, we give ship operators real fuel flexibility,” explains Freyr Ingolfsson, project coordinator at Verkis. “Ports vary wildly in bunkering options, so our system adapts to whatever’s on offer.”

Key Metrics and Performance Goals

The consortium is chasing over 50% fuel cell efficiency and sub-15-minute start-up times. Engineers will track stack degradation, reformer conversion rates, and system resilience under rolling seas. Safety checks—like ammonia slip sensors and rapid shutdown routines—are under the microscope for class societies and insurers.

Marine Engineering Meets Fuel Cell Integration

Hooking a PEM fuel cell into a ship’s power grid is no small feat. You need power management that juggles variable loads, syncs to backup generators and batteries, and flips over seamlessly if something trips. Control logic—often coded by Politecnico di Milano—coordinates reformers, stacks, and HVAC, while safety interlocks lock everything down if ammonia levels spike or pressures climb.

Industrial Decarbonization in Action

Here’s the big picture: deep-sea shipping belts out roughly 2–3% of global CO₂ emissions, with auxiliary engines taking a hefty slice. Swapping fossil-fuel generators for zero-emission hydrogen fuel cells could cut hundreds of thousands of tons of carbon a year once scaled. GAMMA isn’t just a proof-of-concept; it’s charting a route for fresh regulations and port upgrades.

Consortium Collaboration and Governance

Verkis steers project management, keeping milestones aligned across all partners. Fraunhofer tackles systems safety analysis, SINTEF handles emissions monitoring, and Applus+ maps out the certification playbook. Europe-wide workshops keep everyone on the same page, and every deliverable goes through peer review—minimizing hiccups and sparking new ideas.

Business and Strategic Angle

Shipping is famously risk averse—fleets stick with what works. By showcasing a seamless retrofit, GAMMA lowers the bar for early adopters. For PowerCell Group, it’s a golden ticket to prove they can scale up from small demos. European makers of reformers, stacks, and control systems get a live proving ground to fine-tune products and drive down costs.

Europe’s racing to stand out in industrial decarbonization. A win here could unlock export markets for marine fuel cell technology—both on new builds and retrofits. Shipyards from Gothenburg to Genoa are already chatting with hydrogen and ammonia tech suppliers about green vessel contracts.

Supply Chain and Job Creation

The push toward maritime hydrogen will ripple across Europe’s industrial base. German component fabricators, Swedish reformer module makers, and Italian software integrators all stand to gain. GAMMA is already creating dozens of skilled roles in system assembly, commissioning, and remote diagnostics. Scale up to commercial fleets, and we’re talking hundreds more jobs along the value chain.

Challenges and Collateral Gains

Life at sea demands shock-resistant hardware, salt-tolerant materials, and space-efficient layouts. Upfront capital costs still loom large. But the benefits are compelling: real-world data on efficiency, maintenance intervals, and safety; a blueprint for classification societies; and confidence signals for investors and insurers. Local supply chains for hydrogen production and reforming modules get a boost, too, supporting more engineering and fabrication jobs.

Insurance firms and flag states will scrutinize the safety case, especially around clean ammonia. If GAMMA nails its risk mitigation, future projects could breeze through certification.

Regulatory Momentum and Standards

GAMMA’s technical dossier is primed to feed into the EU’s Fit for 55 debates and upcoming IMO guideline updates. As regulators push for transparent hydrogen infrastructure planning in emission control areas, demo projects become must-haves. Safe-handling protocols for clean ammonia will shape global standards, letting ports worldwide harmonize bunkering rules and certification pathways.

Implications for Maritime Infrastructure

Ports need to step up. Bunkering stations for clean ammonia, plus hydrogen hubs, could pop up along green shipping corridors. As ammonia producers, tank builders, and logistics experts collaborate, we may see a fresh hydrogen infrastructure network sprout in key hubs like Rotterdam and Singapore.

Next Steps and Sea Trials

Retrofitting is already underway, with factory tests lined up for next year, followed by dockside commissioning and live sea trials. The partners aim to deliver a full technical dossier—covering everything from hydrogen slip detection to life-cycle costs and emergency protocols. Those insights will feed into IMO discussions and emerging EU rules on zero-emission shipping.

Looking Ahead in the Blue Economy

GAMMA sits among a fleet of maritime decarbonization efforts—from wind-assisted sails to battery-hybrid ferries. Its success could tip the scales on which path the industry follows. For shipowners, charterers, and financiers, real-world proof beats simulations. Once the maiden voyages pay off, the blue economy could surge full speed toward a zero-emission future.

About PowerCell Group

PowerCell Group is a Swedish specialist in PEM fuel cell systems, spun out of Volvo back in 2009. They supply automotive, maritime, and stationary markets worldwide, on a mission to scale fuel cell technology from demo projects into full-blown commercial reality.

With GAMMA charting these uncharted waters, a successful demo could spell the end of onboard diesel generators—and usher in the hum of hydrogen fuel cells across the world’s oceans. Keep your eyes peeled as the sea trials roll out over the coming months. This is one voyage you’ll want to follow—don’t miss a beat.