International Association of

Lighthouse Authorities
IALA
 Aids to navigation
• Aids to navigation are special structures like lighthouses, lightships, beacons,
buoys, etc. that are used to enhance safety by providing more opportunities to
obtain Lines of position (LOPs).
• An acceptable worldwide buoyage system is not a new idea, and in 1973 the
Technical Committee of the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities
(IALA) attempted to provide such a system. The results showed that agreement
on a single system could not be immediately achieved, but in conclusion found
that an alternative double system ‘A’ and ‘B’ was in fact a practical proposition.
• The rules governing the two systems being very similar, it was possible to
combine them to form the IALA Maritime Buoyage System, as we now know it.
The system applies to all fixed or floating marks, other than lighthouses, sector
lights, leading lights and marks, light vessels. It serves to indicate the center-
lines of channels and their sides, natural dangers such as sandbanks, as well as
wrecks (described as new dangers, when newly discovered), and also areas
where navigation is subject to regulation.
• The IALA Maritime Buoyage System defines two regions in the
world: IALA region A (IALA A )covers all of Europe and most of the
rest of the world.
• Whereas region B - (IALA B) covers only the Americas North and
South, Japan, South Korea and Philippines.
• Fortunately, the differences between these two systems are few. The
most striking difference is the direction of buoyage.
All marks within the IALA system are distinguished by:
1) Shape
2) Color
3) Top mark
4) Light
 Light identification

• During daytime, the identification of aids to navigation is accomplished by

observing: location, shape, color scheme, auxiliary features (sound signals,
RACON, RC, etc.) or markings (name, number, etc.)
• During the night, we use the features of the aid to navigation's light to both
identify it and ascertain its purpose. There are three features to describe the
light:
• All lighted aids to navigation are either Major Lights or Minor lights.
• Where Major lights are used for key navigational points along sea-
coasts, channels and harbour and river entrances. These lights are
normally placed in lightships, lighthouses and other permanently
installed structures, providing both high intensity and high reliability of
the lights. Major lights are then subdivided in primary lights (very
strong, long range lights used for the purpose of making landfalls or
coastal passages) and secondary lights (shorter range lights found for
example at harbour and river entrances). Important details of
(especially) primary lights can be found in a reference called the Light
List where information (about pedestals etc.) can be found which is not
included in the chart.
Minor lights on the other hand are likely to be found within harbors,
along channels and rivers. These have a low to moderate intensity and
sometimes mark isolated dangers.
 IALA SYSTEM OF BUOYAGE
Main recommendations
• IALA is primarily known for the IALA Maritime Buoyage Systems or sea mark
systems that are used in the pilotage of vessels at sea.
1. Lateral marks: Indicate the edges of a channel.
2. Cardinal marks: Indicate the direction of safe water at a dangerous spot.
3. Safe water marks: Indicate the deep water and open end of a channel.
4. Special marks: Indicate administrative areas, such as speed restrictions or
water skiing areas.
5. Isolated danger marks: Indicate a hazard to shipping.
6. Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy : A new buoy introduced in 2006, marking a
new wreck. It replaces the double cardinal or lateral marks (IALA
Recommendation O-133).
• Each type of mark has a distinctive color, shape and possibly a
 Lateral marks
• Each mark indicates the edge of the safe water channel in terms of port (left-
hand) or starboard (right-hand). These directions are relative to the direction
of buoyage. This is usually a nominally upstream direction. In a river, the
direction of buoyage is towards the river's source. In a harbour, the direction
of buoyage is into the harbour from the sea.
• Where there may be doubt, it will be labelled on the appropriate chart.
• A vessel heading in the direction of buoyage (e.g. into a harbour) and wishing
to keep in the main channel should:
• keep port marks to its port (left) side, and
• keep starboard marks to its starboard (right) side.
• port marks are red and may have a red flashing light of any rhythm except
2+1.
• starboard marks are green and may have a green flashing light of any rhythm
except 2+1.
• The starboard hand lateral marks carry conical- pillar- spar-
shaped top marks.
• The port hand buoys carry cylindrical- pillar-spar- top marks.
• Remember that, when navigating in and around harbors, Lateral
Marks are colored as if you are approaching from the sea. That is,
when entering port, you keep the port-hand marks on the port side
of your vessel. When proceeding to seaward, you therefore leave
them to starboard. This is known as the “Local Direction of
Buoyage”. Sometimes they are used in pairs to mark each side of a
channel, but often they appear as a single buoy. Lateral lights can
have any calm phase characteristic except FL (2+1).
 Region A

port marks are red and may have a red flashing light of any rhythm except 2+1.
starboard marks are green and may have a green flashing light of any rhythm except 2+1.
Found at a point where the channel divides. A vessel following the main channel
would treat these buoys in the same way as a lateral mark.
 Region B

• port marks are green and may have a green flashing light of any rhythm except 2+1
• starboard marks are red and may have a red flashing light of any rhythm except 2+1
 Preferred channel marks
• Think of the Preferred Channel mark as having a single color with a horizontal
stripe through the middle. Thus a red (can) buoy with a green stripe in the
center is a port hand buoy which, as always, indicates that the channel is to
starboard. The green stripe means that there is another, lesser, channel to
port. So the main (preferred) channel is to starboard. As always with lateral
buoys, this applies when entering port from seaward, or when following the
General Direction of Buoyage. If proceeding in the opposite direction, the
“preferred channel” would be to port.
• The retro-reflectors for Preferred
Channel Marks are colored for
the main channel.
• A preferred channel mark applies when
there is a main and secondary channel.
• If two channels are of equal importance
 Cardinal marks

 Cardinal Marks are used in conjunction with the compass to indicate the direction
from the mark in which the deepest navigable water lies.
 The four cardinal buoys indicate the safe side of a danger with an approximate
bearing. For example, the West cardinal buoy has safe water on its West and the
danger on its East side
• The main purpose of a Cardinal Mark is to indicate the safe side on which to pass a
danger.
• The deepest water is on the named side, i.e. (East cardinal marks) pass on its East
side.
• The buoys always carry a top mark consisting of two cones which, from a distance,
appear like arrows.
• When a new obstacle (not yet shown on charts) needs to be marked, two cardinal
buoys - for instance a South buoy and an East buoy - will be used to indicate this
“uncharted” danger. The cardinal system is identical in both the IALA A and IALA B
buoyage systems.
• The shorter period is for “very quick” flashes which usually 50/60 per minute.
• The longer period is for “quick” flashes which usually 100/120 per minute.
 Safe water mark

• A Safe Water Mark, as defined by the

International Association of Lighthouse Authorities, is a sea mark used in
maritime pilotage to indicate the end of a channel. It usually implies that open,
deep and safe water lies ahead, though it is sometimes also used to indicate the
start and end of a buoyed section of a continuous narrow channel, or a line of
these marks can be used to mark a safe route through shallow areas. It is
therefore important to consult an appropriate chart to determine the exact
meaning in each case. The marker is also sometimes known as a Fairway Buoy.
• It is recognizable by its red and white vertical stripes and commonly bears a top-
sign in shape of a red ball. Lighted buoys flash mores code "A", occulting (more
light than dark), Isophase (equal light and dark) or long flash every 10 seconds
(LFl 10s).
• In the United States, safe water marks have the initials of their associated
waterways or localities printed on them.
•
 Special marks
• Not primarily used to assist in navigation special marks show a special area
or feature such as military exercise zones For example to show recreation
zones, traffic separators, that a channel divides or to mark cables or pipelines.
• They can also mark a channel within a channel. For example, a channel for
deep draught ships in a wide river or bay where the limits of the channel for
normal navigation are marked by red and green lateral buoys or beacons.
• The direction to travel around a special mark is usually referred to or shown
on charts.
• Special marks are characterized by their yellow color and sometimes have a
yellow X as the top mark.
• At night, the flashing light is yellow and can have any rhythm apart from those
used by isolated danger, cardinal, safe water, lateral and emergency wreck
buoys.
 Isolated danger marks
• "Isolated Danger Marks" are found in both IALA Regions “A” and “B” and are
used to mark small, isolated dangers where navigable water will be found in
all directions around the marked danger.
• These marks, beacons or buoys, mark dangers such as shoals and rocks, and
are also frequently used to mark wrecks. Basically, any small and isolated
hazard which poses a danger to surface navigation.
• Is a sea mark used in maritime pilotage to indicate a hazard to shipping such
as a partially submerged rock.
• It is recognizable by its black and red bands and top-mark of two black balls.
• Will only show a white light.
• Will always be Flashing (2) – FL (2).
• Will normally have a light period of 5 seconds (some variations may be
found.)
: Fl(2).
 Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy
• The Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy is maintained in position until:
• The wreck is well known and has been distribute in nautical publications.
• The wreck has been fully surveyed and exact details such as position and least depth above the
wreck are known.
• A permanent form of marking of the wreck has been carried out.
Buoy Characteristics
• A pillar or spar buoy, with size dependent on location.
• Colored in equal number and dimensions of blue and yellow vertical stripes (minimum of 4
stripes and maximum of 8 stripes).
• Fitted with an alternating blue and yellow flashing light with a nominal range of 4 nautical miles
where the blue and yellow 1 second flashes are alternated with an interval of 0.5 seconds.
• If multiple buoys are deployed then the lights should be synchronized.
• Consideration should be given to the use of a racon Morse code “D” and/or AIS transponder.
• The top mark, if fitted, is to be a standing/upright yellow cross.
• The light characteristic was chosen to eliminate confusion with blue lights to identify law
enforcement, security and emergency services.
Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy

B1.0s + 0.5s + Y1.0s + 0.5s =

3.0s