Beware of counterfeit and substandard life-saving appliances!

The Republic of the Marsall Islands issue MarineSafety Advisory regarding awareness of counterfeit and substandard life- saving appliances as follows:
It has been found that counterfeit and substandard life-saving appliances (LSA) are available on the market. Those goods cost less than the real and quality product and are always inferior and, therefore, less durable, unsafe or downright dangerous because they have not undergone the rigorous testing that should be applied to make sure that they are safe.
It is of utmost importance that awareness is raised of the problem of counterfeit and substandard life-saving products and the wide range of problems they might cause for the maritime industry. All interested parties such as recognized organizations (ROs), shipyards, shipowners, etc., should take responsibility in applying rigorously the applicable requirements when LSA products are manufactured and thoroughly check the accompanying approvals and documents of approved LSA products, particularly those with a certified service life, when they are purchased and installed on board ships.
Counterfeit and substandard LSA products may include, for example, hydrostatic release units, pyrotechnic man-overboard lights, smoke signal products, lifejacket lights, lifebuoy lights and emergency water rations for use in survival craft. In addition to the above, in some cases used LSA products, from scrapped ships or discarded from operational ships after expiry, are refurbished and sold, whereby the original manufacturer's label is removed, the sealed product is only cleaned externally and a replacement label is then applied, which is identical to the original, except that the dates of manufacture and expiry are falsified to extend the period of acceptability.
For these products, extra vigilance by all related parties, particularly shipowners and ROs, is recommended, and all associated documents should be thoroughly checked.
The Republic of the Marshall Islands