Okpeke, Bright Ebikemefa works as a researcher with the German Aerospace Centre (Institute of Maritime Energy Systems). Before this, he had worked as a research intern with the Chair of Ship Structures at the University of Rostock, Germany. He studied Marine Engineering at Niger Delta University, Nigeria. In 2017, he was admitted to the degree of Bachelor of Engineering in Marine Engineering (specializing in ship power plants) with First Class Honors. He also studied Mechanical Engineering (specializing in advanced ship design) at the University of Liege and Ship Technology and Ocean Engineering at the University of Rostock under the aegis of the Erasmus Mundus double master program—EMShip+. In 2021, he graduated with distinction. His research interests are in the areas of ship structures and design, FEA and maritime alternative energy systems. He has co-authored one publication on ship structures and FEA and another on liquid hydrogen storage tanks.

Cherif AIT AIDER has been a researcher at the DLR (Deutsches Zentrum für Luft und Raumfahrt) Institute of Marine Energy Systems since December 2022, researching pathways to decarbonize maritime shipping by promoting alternative fuels such as hydrogen. His focus is on the development of affordable and efficient means for hydrogen storage. He graduated in the summer of 2022 with a joint master’s degree from the University of Liege and Rostock University in Shipbuilding and Ocean Engineering in the framework of the EMship+ program.

Dr.-Ing. Lars Baetcke studied mechanical engineering and energy systems at the Hamburg University of Technology (TUHH). Afterward, he completed his Ph.D. on the topic of heat management systems for hydrogen storage and worked as a researcher at the TUHH. Starting in 2020, he worked at the Helmholtz-Centre Hereon as a post-doctoral researcher on different hydrogen topics (e.g. metal hydride storage, liquid hydrogen). In 2023, he joined the DLR Institute of Maritime Energy Systems and currently leads the Department of Energy Infrastructures.

Prof. D.Sc. (Tech.) Sören Ehlers studied mechanical engineering at the University of Rostock, specializing in shipbuilding and marine technology. He received his doctorate from the Helsinki University of Technology in 2009 and worked there as a post-doctoral researcher. He also co-founded an engineering office that is still in operation today with a colleague. In 2011, he became a professor at NTNU in Trondheim and focused on Arctic Sea transportation and ship design under ice loads. Since 2014, he held the position of professor of design and strength of ships and offshore structures at Hamburg University of Technology and led the corresponding institute until his leave of absence to work for DLR from 2022 as a director of the Institute of Maritime Energy Systems.