IALA Buoyage System (A & B)

The IALA Maritime Buoyage System is the worldwide standard for floating and fixed marks, split into two regions that differ only in the color of lateral marks. In Region A, covering Europe, Africa, Australasia, and most of Asia, red marks the port side of a channel and green the starboard side coming from seaward. In Region B, the Americas, Japan, Korea, and the Philippines, the colors are reversed, red to starboard. IALA standardized the combined system in 1980 to end the conflicting schemes that preceded it. Cardinal, isolated-danger, safe-water, and special marks are identical in both regions, so only the lateral colors change at the regional boundary. The chart legend states which region applies.