In the vast ocean, marine buoys serve as "water traffic lights," providing navigation, warning, and boundary information to vessels through a standardized color system. These colors are not only visual markers but also an internationally recognized safety language. Below, Asen River will analyze their meanings from three aspects: the core functions of marine buoys, international standards, and technical details.
1. Warning and Danger: Red Marine Buoys
• Core Meaning: Marking the left side of the channel (IALA-A system) or the right side (IALA-B system), or indicating hazardous areas (such as reefs, sunken ships, or shoals) .
• Typical Scenarios:
o Red marine buoys at port entrances warn of reefs, accompanied by red flashing lights (e.g., four flashes per 10 seconds at Haifa Port in Israel) ;
o Red and black striped marine buoys indicate isolated hazards requiring a circular bypass .
• Design Logic: Red has a longer wavelength and stronger penetrating power, making it easiest to identify in foggy conditions or at long distances .
II. Safe Passage: Green Marine Buoys
• Core Meaning: Mark the right side (IALA-A) or left side (IALA-B) of the channel, or indicate deep water areas and safe passages.
• Application Examples:
o Green marine buoys in the center of the main channel guide vessels away from shoals;
o Green single-flash lights (e.g., 8 seconds per flash) serve as night navigation anchor points.
• Ecological Connection: Some green marine buoys use eco-friendly color masterbatches directly injected into polyethylene material to avoid paint pollution of the ocean .
3. Special Warning: Yellow Marine Buoys
• Functional: Indicates temporary risks or restricted areas, such as construction zones, military restricted areas, or turbulent water areas .
• Innovative Applications:
o Yellow marine buoys with fluorescent coatings enhance visibility in low-visibility environments;
o Combined with solar-powered warning lights to achieve 24-hour flashing (e.g., 1.5-meter-diameter marine buoys equipped with dual-panel LED lights) .
IV. Functional Expansion: Other Color Combinations
|
Color |
Meaning |
Scene |
|
Blue and white stripes |
Swimming areas/recreational waters |
Beachsafety boundary |
|
Black and white stripes |
Channel center or lane separation zone |
Midline marking in open waters |
|
Orange |
Research equipment or temporary observation points |
Marine data buoys |
|
Purple |
Underwater cable/pipe protection |
Construction warning zone |
International Standard Differences: The "Left-Right Debate" Between Two Systems
Global waterways follow two sets of color rules:
• IALA-A system (Asia, Africa, Europe): Left red, right green - when entering a port, the left side is marked with a red marine buoy ;
• IALA-B system (America, Japan, South Korea): Left green, right red - when entering a port, the left side is marked with a green marine buoy .
Ships crossing oceans must switch their identification logic; otherwise, they may accidentally enter dangerous areas!
