THE UNITED States Coast Guard has issued a Marine Safety Alert after counterfeit pilot ladders were discovered during a Port State examination at the Port of Baltimore.
The alert revealed the phony ladders were discovered by marine inspectors from Sector Maryland-National Capital Region (NCR).
The coast guard reported that while the serial number on the ladder matched the accompanying certificate, the number of steps and the length of the ladder did not align with the specifications listed on the certificate.
Additionally, the identification plate on the ladder contained several errors, including referencing ISO 779-1 instead of the correct standard, ISO 799-1, and lacking the ISO 799-1 designation type.
The plate and certificate indicated that the ladder was produced by “QINGDAO GOOD BROTHER MARINE LIFE SAVING APPLIANCE Co. LTD.,” a company that manufactures SOLAS-approved pilot ladders.
However, the alert referenced that the Australian Maritime Safety Authority (AMSA) identified counterfeit pilot ladders falsely bearing this company’s name and SOLAS certification in March 2019.
The coast guard said it strongly recommends that ship owners and operators thoroughly inspect pilot ladders to ensure vessels are outfitted with genuine SOLAS-approved equipment, and verify certification details, such as checking for proper ISO approval numbers and ensuring the specifications on the certificate match the actual ladder.
AMSA previously reported in its own statement that, in November 2017, “Qingdao Good Brother Marine Life-Saving Appliance Co. Ltd.’s” products were the subject of a separate investigation which was instigated on the basis of a complaint made to AMSA by a port pilot.
“On receipt of the information provided by the AMSA surveyor, AMSA’s ‘Head of Inspections – Ship Inspection and Registration’ passed the photos on to the China Classification Society (CCS), who has since carried out an investigation with the manufacturer,” the authority said.
“The reply received from CCS indicated that another company had apparently purchased ladders manufactured by the ‘Qingdao Good Brother Marine Life-Saving Appliance Co. Ltd’.
“This company then copied the product and created their own (fake) certification for it. They have then sold the counterfeit products to customers who thought they were purchasing the genuine item.”
AMSA revealed it has been advised that as a result of the recent investigation, the “Qingdao Good Brother Marine Life-Saving Appliance Co. Ltd” has taken legal action against a company called “Shenzhen Import & Export Company Ltd.” for producing fake copies of their products.
