The US Coast Guard has issued marine safety alert to inform that it has withdrawn the Certificate of Approval (160.037/23/0) for NAMMO LIAB AB Orange Smoke Hand Distress Signal, and the approval status of this certificate is now marked as “Former- Do Not Use.”
This action was taken because the chemical makeup of the signal was changed in October 2013 without Coast Guard approval and the signal that was manufactured is at risk of spontaneous combustion when dropped.
These smoke signals may be labeled and marketed as “Polar MK 4” by NAMMO LIAB AB or as “IKAROS” by Hansson Pyrotech. “IKAROS” Hansson Pyrotech is the more current manufacturing name.
Datrex Inc., of Kinder, LA, is the only distributor for these products in the United States. There are approximately 2,790 signals with the potentially defect in the US market. USCG states that Datrex has removed all of its remaining stock from sale and is working with customers to replace these potentially dangerous signals.
Any signal manufactured after October 2013 must be properly disposed of and replaced with a product that satisfies the vessel’s carriage requirements.
Source: USCG
