IALA MARITIME BUOYAGE SYSTEM 'REGION A'

The colour and characteristics of many of the lights and structures in the Eastern Mediterranean are still in process of change to IALA
System A. Mariners are strongly advised to consult the latest charts and Notices to Mariners for up to date information.
The system provides the five types of marks described below which may be used in combination:
The significance of any mark depends upon one or more of the following features:
By night—colour and rhythm of light. By day—colour, shape, topmark.

Lateral marks used in conjunction with a conventional direction of buoyage, generally used for well defined channels. These marks
indicate the port and starboard sides of the route to be followed. Where a channel divides, a modified lateral mark may be used to
indicate the preferred route. Lateral marks differ between buoyage regions A and B.

Cardinal marks used in conjunction with the mariner's compass, indicate where the mariner may find navigable water.

Isolated Danger marks indicate isolated dangers of limited size that have navigable water all around them.

Safe Water marks indicate that there is navigable water all around their position, e.g. mid-channel marks.

Special marks not primarily intended to assist navigation but indicating an area or feature referred to in nautical documents.

CONVENTIONAL DIRECTION OF BUOYAGE

The conventional direction of buoyage may be defined in one of two ways:

The general direction taken by the mariner when approaching a harbour, river, estuary or other waterway from seaward, or
In other areas it is determined by the appropriate authority. In principle, it follows a clockwise direction around land masses.

The conventional direction is indicated in appropriate nautical documents.

LATERAL MARKS

Port hand Marks Starboard hand Marks

Colour : Red Green
Shape (Buoys): Cylindrical (can), pillar or spar Conical, pillar or spar
Topmark (if any)
Single red cylinder (can) Single green cone, point upward
:
Light (when Red, any other than composite group flashing
Green, any other than composite
fitted) (2+1)

At the point where a channel divides, when proceeding in the conventional direction of
buoyage, a preferred chan nel may be indicated by modifying Port or Starboard lateral marks
as follows:

Preferred channel to Starboard Preferred channel to

: Port :
Green with one broad red horizontal
Colour : Red with one broad green horizontal band
band

Shape (Buoys) : Cylindrical (can), pillar or spar Conical, pillar or spar

Topmark (if any) : Single red cylinder (can) Single green cone, point upward

Light (when fitted) : Red, Composite group flashing (2+1) Green. Composite group flashing (2+1)
 CARDINAL MARKS

The four quadrants (North, East, South and West) are bounded by the true bearings NW-NE, NE-SE, SE-SW, SW-NW, taken from the
point of interest. A cardinal mark is named after the quadrant in which it is placed. The name of a cardinal mark indicates that it should
be passed to the named side of the mark. It may be used:
to indicate that the deepest water in that area is on the named side of the mark to indicate the
safe side on which to pass a danger to draw attention to a feature in a channel such as a bend,
a junction, a bifurcation, or the end of a shoal
SOUTH CARDINAL
NORTH CARDINAL WEST CARDINAL MARK
EAST CARDINAL MARK MARK
MARK

2 black cones, one above

2 black cones, one above 2 black cones, one above
2 black cones, one above the other, base to base. the other, points
Topmark: the other, point to point.
the other, points upward. downward.

Black with a single broad Yellow with a single broad

Colour : Black above yellow.
horizontal yellow band.
Yellow above black.
horizontal black band.

Shape : Pillar or spar. Pillar or spar. Pillar or spar. Pillar or spar.

White, V.Qk.FI.(6) + long

White, V.Qk.FI.(3) every flash every 10s or White, V.Qk.FI.(9) every
White, V.Qk.FI. or Qk.FI.
Light (when fitted) : 5s or Qk.FI.(3) every 10s Qk.Fl.f6) + long flash 10s or Qk.Fl.f9) every 15s
every 15s

ISOLATED DANGER MARK is a mark over an isolated danger which has navigable water all around
it.

Topmark 2 black spheres, one above the other.

SAFE WATER MARKS indicate that there is navigable water all round the mark; these include centre line marks and mid-
channel marks. Such a mark may also be used as an alternative to a cardinal or a lateral mark to indicate a landfall.

Colour : Red and white vertical stripes.

Shape : Spherical, pillar with spherical topmark or spar.

Topmark (if any) : Single red sphere.

Light (when White, Isophase, occulting, one long flash every

fitted) : 10s or Morse A.

SPECIAL MARKS

Marks not primarily intended to assist navigation but which indicate a special area or feature referred to in appropriate nautical
documents, e.g.

Ocean Data Acquisition Systems (ODAS) marks; Traffic Separation marks where use of
conventional channel marking may cause confusion; Spoil Ground marks; Military Exercise
Zone marks; Cable or pipe line marks; Recreation Zone marks.

Colour : Yellow

Optional but not conflicting with navigational marks (e.g. a yellow can
Shape : buoy will not be used in a 'starboard' situation in region A).

Topmark (if any) : Single yellow 'X' shape.

Light (when fitted) : Yellow

NEW DANGERS

Used to describe newly discovered hazards not yet shown on charts, including naturally occurring obstructions such as sandbanks or
rocks or man-made dangers such as wrecks.
New Dangers will be marked in accordance with these rules. In the case of an especially grave danger, one of the marks may be
duplicated.
Any lighted mark used for this purpose shall have an appropriate cardinal or lateral V.Qk.FI. or Qk.FI. light character.
A duplicate mark will be identical to its partner in all respects. A duplicate mark may carry a racon, coded Morse D. The duplicate mark
will be removed when the new danger has been sufficiently promulgated.