The team at VID Company LLC is engaged in in-house development of power distribution systems, control consoles, remote vessel parameter monitoring systems, energy converters for hydrogen installations, and power supply systems for deep-sea vehicles. In short, there are many projects and even more plans. The company is convinced that non-standard tasks are the driving force of progress and is committed to mastering new technologies and expanding its product range. Andrey Kukushkin, General Director, told the Korabel.ru editorial team about what the company is focused on today, which developments have already proven themselves in practice, and what new products are being prepared for release. The discussion began with questions about the control consoles installed on the "Meteor".
- Andrey Valeryevich, your company recently supplied in-house developed control consoles for two "Meteor-2020" vessels. Please tell us more about this. What innovative solutions were used in their creation? How have they performed in operation?
- I will start by saying that the main challenge was the designer's requirements concerning the product weight. We adopted a number of technical solutions that made it possible to substantially reduce the weight of the structure without reducing its degree of protection.
Special attention should be paid to our proprietary development—the interactive passenger information system. It is a combination of equipment and software that enables people to be informed about the progress of their journey.
A dedicated display shows the route, current location, weather conditions, and useful information. In addition, travellers can watch films, listen to music and audiobooks, and spend their time comfortably even on long voyages.
The key advantage of our development is its autonomy and full functionality. The system includes its own server equipment, a high-speed onboard local network, built-in backup power equipment, and a user-friendly interface.
The system has proven itself in operation on the "Meteor" series. We continue to develop it and implement it on other vessels under construction.
- What other developments is the company pursuing? How many specialists are working on the projects? And what new products do you plan to release?
- Today, our company employs more than 70 specialists in various fields—from electrical installers and design engineers to programmers and commissioning engineers. This enables us to carry out the entire range of work involved in creating electrical equipment, from design through commissioning, as well as subsequent technical support.
We are working on several new projects. We are creating a power conversion system for the hydrogen power plant of an electric-propulsion vessel. The system has been manufactured and installed on a sightseeing vessel. Sea trials are currently underway. We have involved a group of scientists from Nizhny Novgorod universities in the work.
In addition, we are working on a system for remote monitoring of vessel parameters. It records and archives data on hull loads during navigation and manoeuvring, speed indicators, and geolocation. The vessel owner receives online access to this information and tracks changes through a remote server. The system is intended primarily for high-speed hydrofoil vessels.
We are also implementing an innovative project entitled: "Power Supply System for Underwater Remotely Operated Vehicles". It is intended for the efficient supply of electrical power to vehicles operating at depths of up to 300 metres.
The system's most important feature is its unique power supply architecture, comprising two key components: surface and subsea power converters. This two-level configuration significantly improves the reliability and efficiency of supplying power to underwater devices, minimising energy losses and ensuring stable operation of equipment at a distance of up to 1 km from the support vessel.
- Tell us about the company's products. What does the product range include?
- The company began by manufacturing power electrical equipment required for outfitting vessels. We produced components for shipboard power plants—main switchboards, emergency switchboards, secondary switchboards, and control panels.
Over time, as we gained experience participating in complex projects, we began mastering the manufacture of high-tech systems and innovative solutions: automated control systems, integrated bridge systems, and modern conversion devices for various applications.
Special attention is paid to the manufacture of small watertight equipment. Our product range includes junction boxes, connection boxes, cam switches, plug-in transformers, and many other products. All products are created exclusively by our specialists, who implement their own engineering solutions and technological innovations. Every element of our products meets high quality standards.
What are your company's competitive advantages?
- Competitive product prices and short manufacturing lead times. We are ready to successfully handle the most complex and non-standard tasks, offering customers the optimal solution specifically tailored to their needs.
For example, a customer may ask us to develop and manufacture a power converter with customised technical characteristics. Such a request requires deep involvement in the issue and careful elaboration of every detail. However, we guarantee delivery of the finished product in just 4–6 months.
Another example: it was necessary to create an integrated system for monitoring the technical condition of vessels, with the ability to remotely analyse the collected data directly from the owner's office.
This process required highly qualified specialists and clear coordination among all project participants. However, we completed it in less than two months.
In addition, we support vessel designers in preparing design documentation and help transfer the developed technical solutions to the equipment procured for the construction of new vessels.
Among the major projects recently completed, I would note the design and preparation of technical documentation for the "Karelia" liner and the construction of a floating dock. The implementation of these projects clearly demonstrates our competencies and readiness to undertake the most ambitious tasks.
Which companies you cooperate with would you particularly highlight?
- Key customers include Ak Bars Shipbuilding Corporation and PJSC "Ship Repair and Shipbuilding Corporation". These companies regularly entrust us with interesting and technically challenging projects, stimulating the development of our company in engineering and technology.
- Which vessels have you supplied equipment for recently? Which projects are the most significant?
- I would highlight the following: six project 03830 "Meteors", a series of 20 "Valdai" hydrofoils, six project 4395 dredgers, two project HSC150 hydrofoil catamarans, and two passenger vessels for operation on Lake Baikal, projects 8714 and 8714A.
I would like to elaborate on the equipment package for the project 00393 vessel with a hydrogen power plant. The following were developed and manufactured for it: an electrical power system, a control console, an electric propulsion system, and a set of converters to ensure the operation of the hydrogen power plant. During this work, we significantly improved our qualifications as engineers and programmers and gained valuable experience and knowledge.
We are currently continuing work on equipment for the project HSC200 hydrofoil catamaran and the project 28140С floating dock.
We have already manufactured power distribution switchboards, control consoles, systems for control of technical equipment, interactive passenger information, and dock operation control.
- What trends do you observe in the domestic market for electrical equipment for shipbuilding?
- Import substitution and import advancement. All sceptics need to do is compare the specifications of a modern electrical switchboard and equipment from ten years ago. Then they will stop saying that import substitution exists only on television and in magazine pages.
- Do you use government support measures?
- No. Perhaps we should consider applying for grants. However, market competition has taught us to rely solely on our own strengths.
- Your company has been on the market since 2006. What are the main stages of its development?
- We started as a shipping company transporting non-metallic construction materials and petroleum products. In 2006, a decision was made to develop our own shipbuilding activities.
The first project was the conversion of a dry cargo vessel into a tanker with a deadweight capacity of 2,000 tonnes. We then built a dredger. All electrical installation work was performed by our specialists, while we simultaneously manufactured electrical switchboard equipment and control console systems.
This initial experience enabled us to establish a new promising area of company development focused on the manufacture of high-tech marine equipment. A professional team of design engineers, electronics specialists, and software developers gradually took shape.
Their efforts enabled us to reach a new level—creating our own unique developments in power electronics and automated systems for remote monitoring of equipment condition.
An important stage was the opening of our own testing laboratory and the creation of a dedicated test bench for checking the operability of electronic devices. This allowed us to ensure the reliability of our products and expand the range of our employees' competencies.
Over the years, the company has undergone major changes and transformed into a dynamically developing organisation with substantial scientific and technical potential.
- What are your plans for the next two to three years?
- Recently, VID Company has grown and established itself as a reliable partner and supplier of sophisticated technical products and systems for large, highly equipped vessels and ships. A landmark event for our company was the beginning of cooperation with AK BARS Shipbuilding Corporation. It should be noted that AK BARS Shipbuilding Corporation, which has played an important role in strengthening and developing VID Company, makes a significant contribution to the development of alternative power plants for water transport in the Russian Federation.
With the support of AK BARS Shipbuilding Corporation, VID Company is carrying out a substantial modernisation of its production facilities aimed at significantly increasing the output of small watertight equipment, static semiconductor converters, and control systems. Documentation is being developed for the manufacture of diesel generators based on KAMAZ and WEICHAI diesel engines. I am confident that the products will find their customers.
Together with AK BARS Shipbuilding Corporation, we intend to expand the application of our own frequency converters by mastering electric drive technology with a capacity of up to 2.5 megawatts as part of an initiative-based experimental design project.
We will continue to actively implement advanced data analysis methods using artificial intelligence. In the near future, a vessel technical equipment control system will be presented, featuring an integrated software suite for management decision support and the capability to remotely monitor parameters from the shipowner's office.
