Ammonia is a real contender in the zero-carbon fuel stakes, with its backers providing solutions to the complex design and safety considerations that travel with its adoption.
Indeed the very first session at the 2026 Propulsion & Future Fuels Conference – Ammonia at Sea: Designing for Safety and Scaling Real-World Use – is dedicated to how vessels are being engineered for ammonia use, the evolving role of classification societies, and the critical safety frameworks required for handling and operation.
Among those offering a route forward is Christian Altenhofen, Applications Engineering Manager at Stuttgart-based GAMMA Technologies, which is also a sponsor of the 47th annual shipping decarbonisation conference.
Under the heading Advanced Simulation Framework for Ammonia-Fuelled SOFC Marine Propulsion: Accelerating Zero-Carbon Technology Deployment, Altenhofen will introduce a simulation framework which couples ammonia cracking kinetics, SOFC electrochemistry, and thermal management to evaluate zero-carbon marine propulsion performance, optimizing operating conditions and reducing prototyping costs and time-to-market.
Originally trained as an aerospace engineer – perhaps a virtue in a sector increasingly suitable for the ‘rocket science’ label – since 2018 Altenhofen has been supporting customers in the development of fuel cell and electrolysis technologies, including stack and system design, simulation, and vehicle integration.
Also set to be taking part are representatives from Deltamarin, a leader in the development of ammonia-fuelled and ammonia-ready ship design, and Nord Gas, specialists in Ammonia Fuel Supply Systems.
To benefit from the insights of the 2026 Propulsion & Future Fuels Conference, 8-10 December in Hamburg, click here
