Offshore buoys play a critical role in maritime navigation, guiding vessels through safe routes and marking hazards or special areas.
Understanding their colors and shapes is essential for anyone navigating open water, as each color conveys specific information that can help prevent accidents.
Here’s a guide to identifying the colors of offshore buoys and their meanings.
1. Overview of Buoy Colors and Their Meanings
Buoys are part of the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) system, which categorizes buoys by color, shape, and additional markings. These attributes indicate their function, such as marking the safe side of a channel, identifying special zones, or warning of dangers.
2. Red Buoys
Red buoys are commonly used to mark the starboard (right) side of a channel when entering from the sea, in what is known as the red right returning rule. In the IALA Region B (the Americas, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines), red buoys are positioned to the right when a vessel is returning to port, while in IALA Region A (Europe, Africa, Australia, and most of Asia), red buoys are kept to the left side. Red buoys are usually cylindrical (referred to as “can” buoys) and may have lights or reflective markings for visibility at night.
Key Points:
• Marks the starboard side in Region B.
• In Region A, marks the port (left) side.
• Red buoys are often paired with green buoys in a channel.
3. Green Buoys
Green buoys mark the port (left) side of a channel when entering from the sea in Region B, following the “red right returning” guideline. In Region A, green buoys should be kept on the right side.
Key Points:
• Marks the port side in Region B and the starboard side in Region A.
• Conical shape and may have lights or reflectors.
• Used in pairs with red buoys in navigational channels.
4. Yellow Buoys
Yellow buoys are versatile markers used to indicate special areas and purposes. They are commonly found marking restricted zones, such as fishing or anchorage areas, as well as separating swimming zones from boating areas.
Key Points:
• Marks special areas like anchorage or restricted zones.
• Does not provide directional guidance but signals specific purposes.
• May flash a yellow light for increased visibility.
5. Black and White Buoys
Black and white buoys are often used as isolated danger markers. They are placed over submerged hazards, like rocks or wrecks, to alert vessels to navigate with caution.
Key Points:
• Used to mark isolated dangers (rocks, wrecks).
• Alternating black and white bands.
• Often equipped with a distinctive shape or top mark for identification.
6. Red and White Buoys
Red and white vertically striped buoys are safe water markers, meaning they indicate that water is safe for passage on all sides of the buoy. These buoys are often used to mark mid-channel points, where vessels can navigate freely around them.
Key Points:
• Indicates safe water on all sides of the buoy.
• Often found in the middle of a channel or as an approach buoy.
• Vertical red and white stripes, usually with a white flashing light.
7. Black and Yellow Buoys
Black and yellow buoys, also known as cardinal buoys, indicate safe water around certain quadrants of the buoy. Depending on the buoy’s color pattern (black over yellow, yellow over black, or alternating), these buoys guide vessels by pointing out the safest direction for passage.
Key Points:
• Used in cardinal systems to indicate safe passage direction (north, south, east, west).
• Color patterns vary by quadrant.
• May have a corresponding light pattern (e.g., continuous or flashing).
8. Orange and White Buoys
Orange and white buoys are typically used to indicate specific regulatory information or warnings. The orange symbols on these buoys usually indicate their specific purpose, such as a diamond for hazards or a circle for controlled areas.
Key Points:
• Common in inland waters or areas with specific regulations.
• Used for no-wake zones, hazards, and controlled areas.
• Marked with orange symbols and may have warning lights.
Understanding the colors and purposes of offshore buoys is essential for safe navigation. Each color—whether it’s the directional guidance of red and green buoys, the specific zones marked by yellow buoys, or the hazard indicators in black and white—provides critical information to mariners!
Buoyage 60 seconds overview
Video by Coastal Safety
