safe-water buoy

A safe-water buoy is a type of buoy that marks an area of safe water. These buoys have a single red sphere and vertical red and white stripes. Buoys are floating objects anchored in a specific location to guide or warn mariners, mark submerged objects, or moor vessels.12

There are international buoyage systems that use standardized colors and shapes to indicate safe passageways. Buoys can also be used to mark channels, important reference points, approaches to harbors, isolated dangers, wrecks, and areas of special significance. They are also used to mark traffic lanes in congested waters.1

The Maritime Buoyage System, maintained by the International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities (IALA), applies two nearly identical standards to two regions: Region A and Region B. These systems divide buoys into Lateral, Cardinal, and associated classes, with colors and shapes conveying specific information to navigators.1