Valcom’s Formula for Shipboard Electronics Independence
St. Petersburg-based Valcom has localized 90–95% of its ship automation sensor production and mastered the entire manufacturing process for pressure transducers, from silicon wafers to sensing elements.
Valcom LLC is the only company in Russia specializing in high-precision smart sensors, integrated automation systems, stability monitoring instruments, and sensors for dry cargo ships, tankers, and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) and liquefied natural gas (LNG) carriers. Its equipment is now installed on more than 1,100 vessels, including Project 22220 nuclear-powered icebreakers, the Prirazlomnaya offshore ice-resistant fixed platform, the Akademik Lomonosov floating nuclear power plant, Project RSD59 dry cargo ships, the Mustai Karim cruise ship, and electric vessels.
The reliability of Valcom’s products has been demonstrated under the extreme conditions of the Arctic. Pressure and temperature transducers, multifunction meters, ultrasonic alarms, and data acquisition controllers operate on offshore platforms and icebreakers. The company continues to expand its product range and conduct research and development into sensors based on new operating principles.
A Thousandfold Safety Margin
Particular attention is paid to the components that underpin Valcom’s products. The company’s PDK and UPT pressure transducers must operate at pressures of up to 100 MPa while maintaining an accuracy of ±0.15%, which requires advanced components. Until recently, silicon dies containing microscopic diaphragms were almost entirely imported. Valcom became the first company in Russia to establish mass production of sensing elements from scratch. Rather than copying foreign designs, its engineers addressed the diaphragm’s vulnerability to hydraulic shock. Their proprietary design delivered a breakthrough: the silicon dies can withstand loads ten times their rated level without losing their metrological performance. In 2023, Valcom received an international patent for a system that protects sensing elements against overloads. Its differential pressure sensor is particularly notable. Although its measurement range is just 40 kPa, it can withstand a one-sided pressure of 40 MPa without failing, a load 1,000 times greater than that range.
A Closed Loop, From Sensor to Operator Interface
Valcom’s integrated solutions are built around controllers manufactured in-house. The company recently introduced a device for managing shipboard power systems and diesel generators, which is undergoing final testing. In parallel, it has launched a range of marine panel computers built around ARM processor boards running Linux.
The designers accounted for the specific needs of a ship’s bridge: physical buttons adjust screen brightness, an important feature that helps watchkeeping officers preserve their night vision. Proprietary software is another essential link in the chain. Valcom develops specialized software in-house, including the OSSY-NG SCADA system, which allows operators to monitor a vessel’s status in real time. This gives the company control over the entire technology chain, from sensing hardware to the software operators use.
Meeting World-Class Technical Challenges
Valcom’s most in-demand product today is its Integrated Ship Technical Systems Management System (ISUTS).
The company’s experience in building integrated systems, combined with the reliability of its sensors, provided the foundation for developing a commercial cargo measurement system for LNG carriers. Back in 2010, Finnish marine engine manufacturer Wärtsilä, a global industry leader, approached Valcom to develop ultra-precise cryogenic sensors for LNG tanks. These sensors continue to operate at temperatures as low as minus 165°C and measure fill levels to within a few millimeters in tanks up to 40 meters tall.
Toward Automated Manufacturing
Another area of Valcom’s work is the development of robotic solutions. Its in-house robotic manipulators help address labor shortages: they work 2.1 times faster than people, with positioning accuracy reaching 0.1 mm. Robots also take over hazardous tasks, including welding and handling toxic substances. With a workforce of 100 and a fleet of 30 manipulators, the company now achieves output equivalent to that of 160 specialists. Over time, a single operator is expected to supervise an entire automated production line.
The Next Stage: In-House Microelectronics and Software
Valcom’s work illustrates how manufacturing is shifting toward deeper expertise in microelectronics and the development of proprietary software. Its high-precision technologies are already in successful use in the oil and gas industry and nuclear power generation. By developing these capabilities domestically, the company is helping strengthen technological independence not only for Russia’s fleet but also for key industrial sectors.
Valcom is not the only example. In 2021, NPO Avrora supplied integrated systems for passenger vessels, and in 2022, VNIIR-Progress shifted its production to Russian and Asian components. In 2024, Vladivostok-based Soyuz-Remont began manufacturing manual remote-control handles, while in 2025, Barnaul-based RIATOM established a complete production cycle for engine protection systems.
Taken together, these developments show how Russian marine automation has evolved in recent years, moving beyond the replacement of foreign equipment toward the creation of independent technology supply chains.
