IALA(International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities)

(Combined Cardinal and Lateral System)

 IALA(International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities)
 Identify
- Name / Shape / Top mark / Colour / Retro Reflector / Light
No BUOY USAGE SHAPE TOP MARK COL LIGHT REFLECTOR
OUR
1 Region A
- Generally use for well defined channels,
Can, Red light, any
- in a conventional direction of buoyage. Pillar or A red Can Red rhythm other than Red Band or square
Spar (when fitted) Composite group
Lateral Mark - Indicate port and stbd Hand sides of the flashing (2+1)
Port hand buoy route to be follow.

Conical, Green light, any

Pillar or A green Cone Green rhythm other than Green band or triangle
Spar (when fitted) Composite group
Lateral Mark flashing (2+1)
Stbd Hand buoy
Region B

Can, Green light, any

Pillar or A green Can Green rhythm other than Green Band or square
Spar (when fitted) Composite group
Lateral Mark flashing (2+1)
Port hand buoy

Conical, Red light, any

Pillar or A red Cone Red rhythm other than Red band or triangle
Spar (when fitted) Composite group
Lateral Mark flashing (2+1)
Stbd hand buoy
2 Region A
- Found at a point where the channel
divided. Can, Red
Pillar or A red Can with Red light, Red Band or square
- in a conventional direction of buoyage. Spar (when fitted) broad Composite group
green flashing (2+1)
Preferred Channel Mark - Indicated preferred channel. band
Preferred channel to stbd
 Conical, Green
Pillar or A green Cone with Green light, Green band or triangle
Spar (when fitted) broad Composite group
Preferred Channel Mark red flashing (2+1)
Prefer channel to port band
Region B

Can, Green
Pillar or A green Can with Green light, Green Band or square
Spar (when fitted) broad Composite group
Preferred Channel Mark red flashing (2+1)
Prefer channel to stbd band

Conical, Red
Pillar or A red Cone with Red light, Red band
Spar (when fitted) broad Composite group or triangle
Preferred Channel Mark green flashing (2+1)
Prefer channel to port band
3 Cardinal Mark - Cardinal marks are used to indicate the
best navigable water. Shape – Pillar or Spar

- indicate that the deepest water is on the

name side of the mark
Black
- indicate the safe side(navigable side) to
pass danger ( to pass N of N cardinal
mark, E of E cardinal mark….etc. )
Black

Black

Black
4
- Isolated Danger Mark are erected or Pillar or Spar Two black Black and White light,
moored on or above, isolated dangers of sphere Red group flashing 2
limited extent

- navigable water all around them One or more pair

Isolated Danger Mark of blue above red
bands

5 White Light,
- Safe Water mark are use to indicated Sphere, Pillar or A red Red and #Isophase,
that there is navigable water all round a spar sphere White #Occulting,
mark. #Long flashing
10 sec
- use as Centerline , Mid-channel or #Morse code “A”
Safe water Mark Landfall buoy or
Red and White
- indicate the best point of passage under stripe or band
the fix bridge.

6
- May be use to indicate a special area or
feature, the nature of which is apparent
from reference to chart, sailing direction Optional Optional Yellow Yellow light, any
or NM. rhythm not use in
If fitted, white light
- use to indicate Cables or pipelines, Yellow X
recreation zones,
Special Mark Ocean data acquisition system Yellow band, X or
(ODAS)buoys, Military exercise zones, symbol
TSS , Spoil ground (Area of damping
mud, sand, silt or other deposit obtain
from bottom of the channel or harbour by
dredging)
[ C-STROM ]

7
New Danger Mark (New danger Cardinal marks (or) USAGE : If the danger is grave, one or more of Lateral or Cardinal marks will be duplicated
New danger lateral marks) Maintain in position until the danger is sufficiently promulgated

New Danger
- newly discovered danger for navigation
- not yet shown on charts or promulgated by Notices to
Mariner or included in Sailing directions
- eg. Naturally – rocks
Man made – wrecks
Shape / Top mark / Colour / Retro Reflector : as Lateral or Cardinal mark
Light : a quick or very quick
If use Lateral mark – Red or Green light
If use Cardinal mark – White light
Fitted : a racon Morse Code(D) showing signal length 1NM
8 Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy
- provides a visual and radio aid to Pillar or Spar Topmark, - Equal - Blue and yellow Nil
navigation and to assist recognition of if fitted, number and 1 second
wreck marking. standing/up dimensions flashes are
right of blue and alternated with an
- place as closes to the wreck as possible , yellow yellow interval of 0.5
or in pattern around the wreck within any cross vertical seconds i.e. B
other marks stripes 1.0s + 0.5s + Y
1.0s + 0.5s =
Em’cy Wreck Marking Buoy should be - (minimum 3.0s.
retained in position until- of 4
a)The wreck is well known and has stripes and - with a nominal
The buoy may be fitted with a Racon (Morse Code been promulgated in nautical maximum range of 4 nm
“D”) and/or an AIS unit. publications( ie NM. ) of 8 (authorities may
b)The wreck has been fully surveyed and stripes). alter)
exact detail such as position and least
depth above the wreck are known. - If multiple
c)A permanent form of marking of the buoys are
wreck has been carried out. deployed then the
lights will be
synchronised.