CM Hammar, developer of release units for liferafts and Epirbs, has discovered that fake copies of the company''s Hydrostatic Release Unit, the Hammar H20, are on the market.
To an untrained eye, the copy is almost identical to the original product, with Hammar’s logo and address on the labels. The fake might look almost like the original product, but there is one very important difference: Hammar says that the copy does not work.
The company has tested several of the copies and not a single one of them worked properly according to SOLAS’ specification – the fake H20 will definitely not release a life raft or an Epirb.
Hammar is viewing this as a very serious situation as there can be a number of vessels at sea that are sailing with fake Hydrostatic Release Units. If any of these vessels were to sink, there will definitely be no life rafts or Epirbs that will help to rescue the seafarers in danger.
How can the user check that it is an original Hammar H20?
• Always purchase products through approved distributors or authorised service points for life rafts and Epirbs
• Make sure that the Hammar multilingual product manual and a raft label is received with each unit for life raft H20 or Hammar marking instruction for Epirb H20
• On the underside of the Hammar H20 the user should be able to find five fabrication marks on all units produced since April 2006. Units produced before that date have only two fabrication marks
• The serial number and production date can always be verified by contacting CM Hammar at info@cmhammar.com
• The fabrication mark on the upper side of the unit must always point directly towards the rope
