Innovative Hydrogen Initiative Takes Off: HPC Coordinates Pioneering Project to Prepare Baltic Sea Region Airports for Green Aviation

Invited by the project’s lead partner Hamburg Airport, the representatives of the 16 project partners, including airport operators, technology companies and research institutions from Sweden, Finland, Poland, the Baltic States and Germany kicked-off their co-operation.

Gaseous hydrogen is seen as the propulsion system of the future, especially for smaller aircraft with up to 80 seats. In a total of three work packages, the project is investigating how airports in the Baltic Sea region can be prepared for its use. The focus is on the supply chain of hydrogen to the airport, its storage at the airport, refuelling in aircraft and ground vehicles, the design of handling processes in compliance with safety regulations and fire protection, as well as the consideration of legal framework conditions, economic efficiency, and business plans. Demonstration flights of a hydrogen-powered aircraft between several project partner airports are also planned to bring the project to a successful conclusion.

HPC won the project coordination contract in a European tender process. The tasks include project coordination and ensuring that the project is implemented according to plan.

Jan Eike Hardegen, Head of Environment at Hamburg Airport, said on the occasion of the project launch: "The project is a beacon on the way to CO2-neutral aviation. The project will develop and test solutions for green aviation as well as for the use of gaseous hydrogen on the ground for vehicles and terminal operations. A changeover of this magnitude can succeed if we work together with other industry players. With HPC, we have an experienced project manager on board who has already successfully implemented international logistics projects on a comparable scale. We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with all project participants."

Dr. Olaf Zeike, Project Manager at HPC Hamburg Port Consulting, also commented on the project: "In this project, we are able to successfully combine our expertise from aviation projects, the development of hydrogen logistics chains, co-funding management and the experience of multi-year coordination of Interreg projects for the benefit of the intended project success. We support the climate goals of the project partners and are pleased to be able to make a tangible contribution to the decarbonization of aviation and the revitalization of regional air transportation."

HPC has proven expertise based on more than 50 national and international airport projects and around 80 funding projects. HPC funding experts have already successfully contributed their know-how to project development and applications for the funding programme.

Further information on the range of consulting services in the field of airport terminals and co-funding can be found on the website: www.hamburgportconsulting.com