RTI on SHM Pyro Disposal and Moloobhoys win Integrity Award.

I have in my previous blogs, reiterated the importance of using original pyros and other liferaft accessories like water, ration etc.

Now at Moloobhoys, we play the “policeman” and “detective” with regard to the authenticity of liferaft replacements during servicing.

It is appalling the amount of fake stuff that is re-circulated during liferaft servicing.

We found rations - expired Seven Ocean Rations - being repacked in locally printed packets with tampered dates of manufacture; and to further add to the charade - the actual date of manufacture which is embossed on the ration itself; is conveniently cut off from the ration !

Expired Rations repackaged with tampered dates of manufacture

The date of manufacture embossed on the ration itself; is conveniently cut off from the ration

Letter from OEM confirming that the Ration is repackaged.

This was found in the liferaft belonging to Can Offshore, last serviced by International Marine Service, Goa - this service station had serviced the liferaft in 2015 and had replaced the rations with this spurious stuff. They also serviced it in the subsequent year 2016, and repacked these fake rations.

Whenever a liferaft servicing tender is floated in Goa - the lowest offer is always received from International Marine Service.

We often wondered how this was possible since we are one of the largest importer of all the accessories that are used during liferaft servicing and it is impossible for smaller companies like International Marine Service to be more competitive than us since we certainly have the advantage of economies of scale.

Now on discovering these shortcuts that these service stations take so nonchalantly - we understand how they manage to be “L1”. (lowest offer)

The other incredible story is that of SHM.

Besides us, they are the only other company with a Pyros Disposal Facility.

Moloobhoys were the pioneers of Pyro Disposal in India.

SHM then pinched one of our staff, and mandated him to set up a disposal facility for SHM based on our facility.

After having secured the licence for disposal of pyros in 2014, SHM in true form, collected a whole lot of pyros for disposal and by the end of 2017, had 80% of the Pyro Disposal market vis a vis our share that dwindled to 20% only due to our rates being reasonably higher than that charged by SHM.

When we, in our self appointed role of “policeman” and “detective,” decided to investigate what was being done with all these pyros collected apparently for disposal - we wrote an RTI to PESO Visakhapatnam, where SHM has his disposal facility.

Please find their findings.

PESO confirmed that from 2014 to August 2017, only two Pyro Disposals were carried out by SHM.

• First - February 2015
• Second - November 2015.

First page of letter from PESO issued under RTI

Second page of letter from PESO issued under RTI

Third page of letter from PESO issued under RTI

Fourth page of letter from PESO issued under RTI

The letter from PESO issued under RTI shows that the Pyros were disposed in February 2015

The letter from PESO issued under RTI shows that the Pyros were disposed in November 2015

Apart from these two disposals - SHM had never carried out any disposal up until November 2017 - and leaves one to wonder what happened to all the pyros that were collected by SHM for disposal from various customers.

To add a more shameful dimension to this whole business - SHM was also caught red handed by us for using re-dated pyros especially on SCI vessels.

We have written a letter of complaint to Director General Of Shipping (DGS) giving all the necessary proof. Hopefully for such a serious crime, some action will be taken by the Authorities.

The Service Report #1 from SHM Ship Care listing the re-dated Pyros supplied to SCI

The Service Report #2 from SHM Ship Care listing the re-dated Pyros supplied to SCI

The 1st page of the letter from Drew Marine Signal & Safety stating that the pyros date was tampered.

The 2nd page of the letter from Drew Marine Signal & Safety stating that the pyros date was tampered.

It is indeed shocking that liferaft stations are so easily hoodwinking the Authorities, the ship owner and most importantly the men in uniform and the seafarers who risk their life and family to sail on our seas for our safety and betterment.

We look forward to the day that due to strict governance from the Government, this malpractice stops and liferafts are actually “life saving” equipment and not “life threatening” equipment.

It gives me great pride and joy to state that Moloobhoys are the receipent of Wescom’s Integrity Award and that our fight against date tampered Pyros was recognised and acknowledged by the international community who awarded us this very prestigious award.

Wescom's Integrity Award given to Moloobhoys

On our part, we at Moloobhoys, continue to pledge to serve our customers, be it for Liferaft servicing or Lifeboat servicing or Pyros Disposal or Fire Fighting servicing or Calibration of Gas Detectors or Electronics Servicing with no compromise on integrity and safety.

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