IALA starboard hand lateral mark

A cone-shaped mark on the starboard side.

Also known as: Starboard hand buoy, Conical buoy

Maps & navigationRoad & transportStandard profile

Meanings

The IALA lateral mark marking the starboard hand side of a channel entered from seaward, drawn as a pointed cone.

Officially standardisedVerified fact
Marks the starboard hand side of a channel entered from seaward.
Contexts: Navigation
Officially standardisedVerified fact
Is green in Region A and red in Region B, the exact reverse of the port hand mark's colours in each region.
Contexts: Navigation
Officially standardisedVerified fact
Is pointed in both regions, so cone against can distinguishes the two sides regardless of which region the vessel is in.
Contexts: Navigation

A conical shape rising to a point, triangular in profile, carrying a cone topmark where one is fitted.

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

IALA Maritime Buoyage System (Recommendation R0001)
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities · retrieved 2026-08-23
The system that governs the colour, shape and light characteristic of every buoy in international waters, and which splits the world into Region A and Region B. The full text is NOT REPRODUCED here and has NOT BEEN READ in full; records cite it for the existence, issuing body and defined form of a mark. See docs/paywalled-standards.md.

Last reviewed 2026-08-25

Meanings

The IALA lateral mark marking the starboard hand side of a channel entered from seaward, drawn as a pointed cone.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Marks the starboard hand side of a channel entered from seaward.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Is green in Region A and red in Region B, the exact reverse of the port hand mark's colours in each region.

Officially standardisedVerified fact

Is pointed in both regions, so cone against can distinguishes the two sides regardless of which region the vessel is in.

Confidence

IdentityHigh confidence: High confidence because the identity is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Historical originLow confidence: Low confidence because the historical origin is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far, but early or supporting evidence is limited, but the regional or cultural match to this specific claim is not precise.
Current useHigh confidence: High confidence because the current use is defined by a current official standard, but only a single source has been found so far.
Visual matchModerate confidence: Moderate confidence because the visual match is documented in encyclopedic references, but only a single source has been found so far.

Sources

IALA Maritime Buoyage System (Recommendation R0001)
International Association of Marine Aids to Navigation and Lighthouse Authorities · retrieved 2026-08-23
The system that governs the colour, shape and light characteristic of every buoy in international waters, and which splits the world into Region A and Region B. The full text is NOT REPRODUCED here and has NOT BEEN READ in full; records cite it for the existence, issuing body and defined form of a mark. See docs/paywalled-standards.md.

Last reviewed 2026-08-25