IALA-AISM

• IALA. International Association of marine aids to navigation and

Lighthouse se Authorities.

• AISM. Associatio n Internation a le de Signalisation Maritime.

REGION B north, Central and South
America, Japan, Republic of Korea
and Philippines
Chapter V Regulation 13.

the World-Wide navigational Warning Service is administered through 21 NAVAREAS,

Navigational Warnings
SOLAS Chapter V Regulation 13
Regulation 13 states that Contracting Governments undertake to arrange for information relating to aids to navigation to
be made available to all concerned users.
• information about planned changes, such as: dredging, surveying, platform installation, pipe and cable laying;
• changes to an existing aid or the establishment of new Marine Aids to navigation;
• changes to traffic arrangements;
• commercial maritime activities;
• short term events (naval exercises, yacht races, etc.).
• information about navigational unplanned events, such as: the failure to Marine Aids to navigation;
• marine incidents (groundings, collisions, wrecks etc.);
• search and rescue activities.
• new information arising from survey work or previously undiscovered hazards
AMSA’s aids to navigation in Australia
In order to fulfil the twin responsibilities of maritime safety and environmental protection, AMSA provides modern, fit-for-purpose
navigation services that facilitate safe navigation.
A central element of AMSA’s navigation services is its network of some 480 aids to navigation (AtoN) at about 400 sites.
Other elements include ships’ routeing and reporting systems, maritime safety information (MSI), coastal pilotage, Vessel Traffic
Services (VTS), and an under keel clearance management (UKCM) system in Torres Strait.
AMSA provides navigation services consistent with its international obligations in Chapter V (Safety of navigation) of the
International Convention for the Safety of Life at Sea, 1974 (SOLAS) (as amended).
AMSA’s AtoN network is consistent with the standards and guidance of the International Maritime Organization (IMO) and
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA).
marking of new dangers

if using a Lateral lighted mark for this

purpose
a VQ or Q light character shall be used.
 Types of marks
• Lateral marks, used in conjunction with a “conventional direction of buoyage”, generally employed
for well-defined channels.

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

• isolated danger marks to indicate isolated dangers of limited size that have navigable water all
around them.

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

• Special marks to indicate an area or feature referred to in nautical documents, not generally
intended to mark channels or obstructions.

• other marks used to provide information to assist navigation.

Characterising Marks

The significance of the mark depends upon one or more of the following features:

• By night, colour and rhythm of light and/or illumination enhancement.

• By day, colour, shape, top-mark, and/or light (including colour and rhythm).
• By electronic (digital) symbology, e.g.as a complement to physical marks.
• By electronic (digital) symbology solely.
Conventional Direction of Buoyage
defined in one of two ways:
• Local Direction of Buoyage: the direction taken by the Mariner when
approaching a harbour, river, estuary, or other waterway from seaward;
• General Direction of Buoyage: the direction determined by the buoyage
authorities, based wherever possible on the principle of following a
clockwise direction around continents.
• It is usually given in Admiralty Sailing Directions, and, if necessary,
indicated on charts by the appropriate symbol.
Numbering Buoys
• the protocol for numbering lateral marks, especially in confined waterways, should be
• ‘even numbers on red
• odd numbers on green
Lateral Marks
Lateral marks are generally used for well defined channels, in conjunction with a
Conventional Direction of Buoyage.
They indicate the port and starboard hand sides of the route to be followed.

Lateral marks should be of cylindrical and

conical shape.
however, where they do not rely on a
distinctive shape for identification,
they should, where practicable, carry the
appropriate top mark.
Region A&B Shapes are same colours change

LATERAL MARKS REGION A:

LATERAL MARKS REGION B:
Shapes changed centre colour does not change Shapes changed centre colour also change

Modified LATERAL MARKS Modified LATERAL MARKS

REGION A: REGION B:
Preferred Channels
When proceeding in the Conventional Direction of Buoyage, at the point where a
channel divides to form two alternative channels to the same destination, the
Preferred Channel is indicated by a modified Lateral mark.
The System does not provide for a Preferred Channel mark where the two channels
re-join.

A B
 IALA -Light rhythms
FIXED LIGHT A single fixed light shall not be
used.
OCCULTING Light A light in which the total duration of light
in a period is longer than the total duration
of darkness and the intervals of darkness
(eclipses) are usually of equal duration.
Single occulting Light An occulting light in A single-occulting White light
which an eclipse is indicates a safe-water mark.
regularly repeated
Group-occulting Light An occulting light in which a group of A group-occulting Yellow light
eclipses, specified in number, is regularly indicates a special mark.
repeated.
ISOPHASE Light A light in which all the durations of light and An isophase White light
darkness are clearly equal. indicates a safe-water mark.

Single A single-flashing Yellow light

flashing light indicates a special mark.
 Rhythm character of the light Remark and further consideration
Mark REGION A
LATERAL All recommended classes of rhythmic Only the colours Red and Green are
Port Hand
Starboard HAND character , used
but a composite group flashing light with a group Port Hand Starboard HAND

of (2 + 1) flashes is solely assigned to modified

lateral marks
that indicate preferred channels.

Modified lateral(preferred channel) Composite group flashing light with a
To Port To Starboard
group of (2 + 1) flashes, in a period of
not more than 16 s
ISOLATED (a) Group flashing light with a group of Only the colour White is used.
DANGER two flashes, in a period of 5 s.
(b) Group flashing light with a group
of two flashes, in a period of 10 s.
The duration of the eclipse after the
single flash should not be less
than three times the duration of the
eclipse after the group of two flashes.
The duration of a flash together
with the duration of the eclipse within
the group should be not less than 1 s
and not more than 1.5 s.

The duration of a flash together

with the duration of the eclipse within
the group should be not less than 2 s
and not more than 3 s.
 Rhythm character of the light Remark and further consideration
Mark REGION B
LATERAL All recommended classes of rhythmic Only the colours Red and Green are
Starboard HAND Port Hand
character , used
but a composite group flashing light with a group Starboard HAND Port Hand

of (2 + 1) flashes is solely assigned to modified

lateral marks that indicate preferred channels.

Modified lateral(preferred channel) Composite group flashing light with a
To Starboard
To Port
group of (2 + 1) flashes, in a period of
not more than 16 s
ISOLATED (a) Group flashing light with a group of Only the colour White is used.
DANGER two flashes, in a period of 5 s.
(b) Group flashing light with a group
of two flashes, in a period of 10 s.
The duration of the eclipse after the
single flash should not be less
than three times the duration of the
eclipse after the group of two flashes.
The duration of a flash together
with the duration of the eclipse within the
group should be not less than 1 s and not
more than 1.5 s.
The duration of a flash together
with the duration of the eclipse within the
group should be not less than 2 s and not
more than 3 s.
Mark Rhythm character of the light Remark and further consideration

SAFE WATER Long flashing light with a period of Only the colour White is used
10 s.
Isophase light.
Single occulting light.
Morse Code light with the single
character " A".

SPECIAL (a) Group occulting light.
(b) Single flashing light, but not a long
flashing light with a period of 10 s.
(c) Group flashing
light with a group of four, five or
(exceptionally) six flashes.
(d) Composite group flashing light.
(e) Morse Code light, but not with either
of the single characters "A" or “U”` .
Only the colour Yellow is used.
A group flashing light with a group of
five flashes at a rate of 30 flashes per
minute, in a period of 20 s, is assigned
to Ocean Data Acquisition Systems
(ODAS) buoys.
CARDINAL Only the colour White is used.
North cardinal (a) Continuous very quick light.
(b) Continuous quick light

East cardinal (a) Group very quick light with a group

of three flashes, in a period of 5 s.
(b) Group quick light with a group of three flashes, in a period of 10
s.
South cardinal (a) Group very quick light with a group of six flashes followed by a
long flash of not less than 2 s duration, in a period of 10 s.
(b) Group quick light with a group of six
flashes followed by a long flash of not less than 2 s duration, in a
period of 15s.
(Very Quick light)-A light in which identical flashes are repeated at
the rate of 120 flashes per minute.
(Quick light)-A light in which identical flashes are repeated at the
rate of 60 flashes per minute.
West cardinal (a) Group very quick light with a group of nine flashes, in a period
of 10 s.
(b) Group quick light with a group of nine flashes, in a period of 15
s.
The duration of the eclipse immediately preceding
a long flash should be equal to the duration of the
eclipses between the flashes at the very quick rate.
The duration of a long flash should not be greater
than the duration of the eclipse immediately
following the long flash.
The duration of the eclipse immediately preceding
a long flash should be equal to the duration of the
eclipses between the flashes at the quick rate.
The duration of a long flash should not be greater
than the duration of the eclipse immediately
following the long flash.
 Retroreflectors
• Two codes, the Standard Code and the Comprehensive Code, are used
for distinguishing unlighted marks at night by securing to them, in
particular patterns, retroreflective material to reflect back light.

• In any specified area only one of the codes is used.

• The Code in use will, if known, be mentioned in Admiralty Sailing

Directions
The Standard Code uses the following markings:
Red Lateral:

Green Lateral:

Special Marks Yellow band, “X” or symbol.

Cardinal White band with letters, numbers, or symbols
Isolated Danger White band with letters, numbers, or symbols
Safe Water White band with letters, numbers, or symbols
The Comprehensive Code uses the following markings
• Lateral Marks

• Cardinal Marks Blue and Yellow bands (imitating the black and yellow)

• Isolated Danger Blue Band over Red Band

• Safe Water Red Band over White Band (could also be vertical)
Cardinal buoys
ISOLATED DANGER MARKS
Use:
Isolated Danger marks are erected on, or moored on or above, isolated dangers or soundings of limited extent which have
navigable water all around them. The extent of the navigable water is immaterial: such a mark can, for example, indicate either
a shoal which is well offshore, or an islet separated from the coast by a narrow channel
• Light
• A white flashing light showing a group of two flashes.

• The association of two flashes and the two spheres in the top mark
may help in remembering these characteristics
Isolated Danger marks
stationed over dangers with navigable water around them.
SAFE WATER MARKS
Safe Water marks serve to 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 to indicate channel entrance, port or estuary approach, or landfall.
the light rhythm may also be used to indicate best point of passage under bridges.
Safe water mark (comprehensive code retroreflectors)
Safe Water marks
such as mid-channel and landfall marks
 Special Marks
• Use:
• Special Marks may be used to indicate to the Mariner a special area or feature, the nature of which is apparent from
reference to a chart, Sailing Directions or Notices to Mariners. Special marks may be lettered to indicate their purpose.

Saint Andrews cross

SPECIAL MARKS
Special marks
• Marks used to indicate a special area or feature whose nature may be apparent from reference to a chart or other
nautical publication.
• they are not generally intended to mark channels or obstructions where other marks are more suitable.
Special buoys and marks
• 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 pipeline marks.
• Recreation zone marks.
• Boundaries of anchorage areas
• Structures such as offshore renewable
• Energy installations
• Aquaculture
Special marks
not primarily to assist navigation but to indicate special features
Marking of New Dangers

Saint George’s cross

RETROREFLECTORS

Emergency Wreck Mark

Vertical yellow band on yellow portion
and
vertical blue band on blue portion of the
mark.
Definition of new Dangers
The term “new danger” is used to describe newly discovered hazards not yet shown in nautical documents.
‘new dangers’ include naturally occurring obstructions such as sandbanks or rocks or man-made dangers such as
wrecks.

‘new dangers’ should be appropriately marked using Lateral, Cardinal, isolated danger
marks or by using the Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy.
if the Authority considers the risk to navigation to be especially high, at least one of the
marks should be duplicated.
New danger marks
Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy
New danger marks
• if using a Lateral lighted mark for this purpose a VQ or Q light character shall be used.

• Any duplicate mark shall be identical to its partner in all respects.

• in addition it may be marked by a Racon, coded Morse “d”(- ● ●)

• in addition it may be marked by other electronic means, such as automatic identification system (AiS as an
Aton).
• Virtual Aids to navigation may be deployed solely or in addition to physical Aids to navigation.

the marking of the new danger may be removed when the competent Authority is satisfied that information
concerning the “new danger” has been sufficiently promulgated or the danger otherwise resolved.
Best point of passage
• Is the most appropriate point to pass under a bridge and is
determined by a competent authority.
• Maximum available head room
• Water depth under bridge
• Sound signals
• Short range RACONS
• PORT –RACON (B)
• Stbd- RACON (T)
Marking of fixed bridges over navigable waters
Marking of fixed bridges over navigable waters