IALA BUOYAGE SYSTEM Flashcards
What is IALA?
International Association Of Marine Aids To Navigation And Lighthouse Authorities.
What are the regions and which countries belong to these regions?
Region A includes Europe, Australia, New Zealand, Africa, the Gulf, and some Asian countries whereas
Region B comprises North, South, Central America, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines.
What is the difference between the two regions?
In region A, the colour red of the Lateral System is used to mark the port side of channels and the colour green for the starboard side.
In region B, the colours are reversed.
Regional variations do not pertain to cardinal, isolated danger markings, safe watermarks or special marks.
What are the types of buoys and markers?
- Lateral marks
- Cardinal marks
- Isolated danger Marks
- Safe Water Marks
- Special Marks
- Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy
Lateral Buoys
LATERAL MARKS: The lateral marks help to indicate which side of the waterway is to be followed.
Every buoy is identified by its color, shape, top marks, light, and rhythm of light.
Region A Port Buoy
Colour: Red
Buoy Shape: Cylindrical(Can), Pillar, Spar
Topmark: Single Red Cylinder(Can)
Light Colour: Red
Light Rythm: Any Apart From Composite Group Flash (2+1)
Region A Starboard Buoy
Colour: Green
Buoy Shape: Conical, Pillar, Spar
Topmark: Single Green Cone Apex Pointing Upward
Light Colour: Green
Light Rythm: Any Apart From Composite Group Flash (2+1)
Preferred Channel Buoy
A preferred channel is indicated by red and green horizontal bands on the lateral mark.
Region A Preferred Channel To Starboard
Colour: Red, Green, Red Horizontal Stripes
Buoy Shape: Cylindrical(Can), Pillar, Spar
Topmark: Single Red Cylinder(Can)
Light Colour: Red
Light Rythm: Composite Group Flash (2+1)
Region A Preferred Channel To Port
Colour: Green, Red, Green Horizontal Stripes
Buoy Shape: Cone, Pillar, Spar
Topmark: Single Green Cone Apex Pointing Upward
Light Colour: Green
Light Rythm: Composite Group Flash (2+1)
Cardinal Buoys
CARDINAL MARKS :
- Cardinal marks are used in conjunction with the compass to indicate where the mariner may find the best navigable water.
- There are 4 cardinal marks named after the four cardinal points of the compass; NORTH, SOUTH, EAST, AND WEST.
- When a cardinal mark is seen, remember that clear and navigable water lies on the named side of the mark.
- Cardinal marks are also used to draw attention to a feature in a channel such as a bend, junction, branch, or end of a shoal.
North Cardinal Mark
Color: Black Above Yellow
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: 2 Black Cones Pointing Upwards
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Vq Or Q (Uninterrupted)
East Cardinal Mark
Color: Black With A Single Horizontal Yellow Band
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: 2 Black Cones, Base To Base
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Vq (3) Or Q(3)
South Cardinal Mark
Color: Yellow Above Black
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: 2 Black Cones Pointing Downwards
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Vq(6) + Long Flash Or Q(6) + Long Flash
West Cardinal Mark
Color: Yellow With A Single Horizontal Black Band
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: 2 Black Cones, Pointing Towards Each Other
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Vq (9) Or Q(9)
Note that Quick flashing light (Q) has a flash frequency of 50 to 60 flashes every minute and a Very Quick flashing light (VQ) has a flash frequency of at least 100 to 120 flashes every minute.
Safe Water Mark
- Unlike other marks that use horizontal stripes, this is the only mark to use vertical stripes. Safe watermark does not point to any danger but specifies that safe navigable water is all around the mark.
- Also indicate the beginning of a marked channel
Safe Water Mark
Color: Red And White Vertical Stripes
Buoy Shape: Pillar, Spar, Spherical
Topmark: Single Red Sphere
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Isophase, Occulting, 1 Lf Every 10 Secs Or Morse Code ‘A’
Isolated Danger Buoy
- These buoys are used to mark dangers to shipping.
- They highlight and bring to the attention of mariners any hazards or dangers to safe navigation.
- These marks are erected or moored above the danger to alert mariners of any peril ahead.
- An isolated danger mark indicates that there is navigable water all around the mark.
Isolated Danger Buoy
Color: Black With One Or More Red Horizontal Bands
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: 2 Black Spheres, Disposed Of Vertically
Light Color: White
Light Rythm: Group Flashing 2
Special Marks
- Special marks are used to denote mariners’ areas with special features.
- Special marks may indicate spoil grounds, military exercise areas, recreational zones, boundaries of anchorage areas, cables and pipelines, Dead ends, mooring areas, protected areas, marine farms or aquaculture, oil wells, ODAS(Ocean Data Acquisition System)
Special Buoy
Color: Yellow
Buoy Shape: Optional But Must Not Conflict With That Used For A Lateral Or Safe Watermark.
(If cone, sphere, or can shapes are used, they will indicate the side on which the buoys should be passed.)
Topmark: Single Yellow Cross – ‘X’ Shaped
Light Color: Yellow
Light Rythm: Any Rhythm Not Used For White Light
The rhythm may be any, other than those used for the white light of cardinal, Isolated danger, and Safe watermarks.
The following is permitted:
- Group occulting
- Flashing
- Group flashing with a group of 4,5 or (exceptionally) 6 flashes.
- Composite group flashing
- Morse code letters, other than Morse code (A), (D), or (U).
- In the case of ODAS buoys, the rhythm is group flashing with a group of 5 flashes every 20 seconds.
Emergency Wreck Buoy
- Emergency wreck marking buoys mark newly discovered unsurveyed dangers that are yet to be announced and declared in nautical publications and charts.
- This buoy is placed as close as possible to the wreck and unlike other buoys, is designed to provide a highly conspicuous visual and radio aid to navigation.
Emergency Wreck Buoy
Color: Yellow And Blue Stripes – Min 4 Max 8
Buoy Shape: Pillar Or Spar
Topmark: Upright Yellow Cross +
Light Color: Yellow
Light Rythm: Any Rhythm Not Used For White Light
B 1.0S + 0.5S + Y 1.0S + 0.5S
