IALA Buoyage Systems

The International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) that standardised the world's navigational buoys into two systems

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The IALA buoyage systems were created in 1979 by the International Association of Lighthouse Authorities (IALA) to unify the worlds navigational buoys. While predominately successful, there are still 2 buoyage systems used throughout the world, system A and system B. All the buoys are the same in the 2 systems apart from Lateral buoys and Preferred Channel buoys, which use opposite colours between the two buoyage systems.

IALA Buoyage Systems Map

IALA Buoyage System A

Used in the majority of the world including Europe, Africa, Australia and most of Asia. Here's a list of some noticable countries that use the IALA System A.

  • United Kingdom United Kingdom
  • Spain Spain
  • Australia Australia
  • France France
  • South Africa South Africa
  • Greece Greece
  • Seychelles Seychelles
  • Thailand Thailand
  • Cape Verde Cape Verde
  • Croatia Croatia
  • New Zealand New Zealand
  • Egypt Egypt

IALA Buoyage System B

Used in the Americas, South Korea, Japan, the Philippines and the eastern Pacific.

  • United States of America United States of America
  • Canada Canada
  • Japan Japan
  • South Korea South Korea
  • Paraguay Paraguay
  • Argentina Argentina
  • Brazil Brazil
  • Philippines Philippines
  • British Virgin Islands British Virgin Islands
  • Grenada Grenada
  • Ecuador Ecuador
  • Mexico Mexico

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