18/03/2026
lALA marks (buoyage system) comprise six main types to guide maritime navigation, primarily distinguishing channel sides, hazards and safe water via colors shapes and lights. The key types are Lateral (red/green) Cardinal (black/yellow, compass-based) Isolated Danger (black/red) Safe Water (red/white) Special (yellow) and Emergency Wreck Marks.
Here are the six types of IALA marks:
1. Lateral Marks:
These indicate the port (left) or starboard (right) side of a channel, with colors and shapes differing by region.
• Region A (Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia):
Port is Red (can shape), Starboard is Green (cone shape).
• Region B (Americas, Japan, Korea, Philippines): Port is Green, Starboard is Red (often remembered as "Red Right Returning).
2. Cardinal Marks:
These indicate where the safest water lies relative to a danger (a wreck or shallow spot) based on the compass.
• North: Black over Yellow, top cones up, white quick/very quick light.
• South: Yellow over Black, top cones down, white light (6 quick flashes + 1 long).
• East: Black/Yellow/Black, top cones away from each other, white light (3 quick flashes).
• West: Yellow/Black/Yellow, top cones towards each other, white light (9 quick flashes).
3. Isolated Danger Marks:
• Purpose: Placed directly on or over a hazard with safe water around it.
• Appearance: Black with one or more red horizontal bands and two black spheres as top marks.
• Light: White flash with a grouping of two.
4. Safe Water Marks:
• Purpose: Indicates that there is navigable water all around the mark ( mid-channel or landfall mark).
• Appearance: Red and white vertical stripes with a single red sphere top mark.
• Light: White, usually Isophase, Occulting, or Long Flash.
5. Special Marks:
• Purpose: Indicates special areas like traffic separation schemes, pipelines, recreation zones or cables.
• Appearance: Yellow, often with an "X" top mark.
• Light: Yellow.
6. Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy :
• Purpose: Marks newly discovered hazards or wrecks not yet shown on charts.
• Appearance: Blue and yellow vertical stripes, usually with a '+' shaped top mark.
• Light: Alternating blue and yellow.
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