Floating aids to navigation are used to mark the side limits of fairways, natural and other obstructions such as isolated shoals and wrecks, other areas or conditions significant to navigation, and new dangers. Floating aids to navigation are buoys and beacons. The general regulations regarding the buoyage system are found in the Maritime Traffic Regulations, which are available from our retailers.
Floating aids to navigation are divided into categories:
Lateral buoys and marks
Cardinal marks
Isolated Danger Marks
Safe Water Marks
Special Marks
New Dangers
Floating aids to nagivation are characterised by one or more of the following factors: colour, shape, top mark and light (colour and character).
Lateral marks
Lateral marks define the borders of channels and indicate the direction of buoyage. This essentially follows the Swedish coastline from Strömstad to Haparanda and otherwise from the sea heading into port.
Characteristics of lateral marks:
|
Port mark |
Starboard mark |
| Colour: |
Red |
Green |
| Shape: |
Can buoy, ice buoy or beacon |
Conical buoy, ice buoy or beacon |
Top mark:
(if installed) |
Red cylinder |
Green cone, pointing up |
Light:
(if installed) |
Red, of any character |
Green, of any character |
| Reflectors: |
Red at the upper part of the mark |
Green in the upper part of the mark |
Cardinal (compass point) marks
Cardinal marks are named according to the quandrant (north, east, south or west) in which the mark is placed in bearing from the shoal or danger. Boats should pass the mark on the side of the compass indicated by the name.
A cardinal mark may denote the branching of a fairway.
Characteristics of cardinal marks:
|
North |
East |
South |
West |
| Colour: |
Yellow bottom, black top |
Black with yellow band |
Black bottom, yellow top |
Yellow with black band |
Top mark:
(2 black cones) |
Tips pointing up |
Base to base |
Tips pointing down |
Tip to tip |
| Light: (White) |
VQ or Q |
VQ(3) 5s
Q(3) 10s |
VQ(6) LFl 10s
Q(6) LFl 15s |
VQ(9) 10s
Q(9) 15s |
| Reflectors: |
One blue on the black section and one yellow on the yellow section |
Two blue on the upper black section |
One yellow on the yellow section and one blue on the black section |
Two yellow on the upper yellow section |
The shape is always pillar (beacon) buoy, ice buoy (without a top mark) or spar (beacon).
Isolated Danger Marks
Isolated danger marks are anchored on dangers of limited extent surrounded by safe water.
| Colour: |
Black and red horizontal sections |
| Shape: |
Pillar, ice buoy or beacon |
| Top mark: |
Two black spheres |
| Light: |
White, Fl(2) 5s, Fl(2) 10s |
| Reflectors: |
One blue on the upper black section and one red on the upper red section |
Safe Water Marks
Safe water marks indicate that there is safe water on all sides around the mark and is used to mark the middle of a fairway for buoyage of an approach, etc.
| Colour: |
Red and white sections |
| Shape: |
Pillar, ice buoy or beacon |
| Top mark: |
One red sphere |
| Light: |
White, Iso, Oc, LFl 10s |
| Reflectors: |
At least one red and one white on the upper part of the mark arranged vertically or horizontally. |
Special Marks
Special marks are not primarily intended for navigation, but indicates, for example, cable, measuring instruments or borders of an area.
| Colour: |
Yellow |
| Shape: |
Optional |
| Top mark: |
Yellow X (cross) |
| Light: |
Yellow, however not the same character as cardinal, isolated danger- and safe water marks |
| Reflectors: |
Yellow reflecting top mark or a yellow on the upper part of the mark |
Other special marks may occur.
New Dangers
New dangers and wrecks, not yet indicated in the charts, will be marked according to this system. If the danger is especially grave, at least one of the marks is duplicated. The duplicated marks are identical. If light is used: suitable lateral or cardinal VQ or Q character. One of the duplicated marks may be fitted with a racon ("radar beacon") coded "D" (-..).