USCG Exam Practice · Aids to Navigation — IALA-B (US) buoyage
A US-licensed mariner is planning a voyage to a port in northern Europe. Regarding lateral buoyage, which statement is correct?
- APort-hand marks in IALA-A are green, the same as starboard-hand marks in IALA-B.
- BPort-hand marks in IALA-A are red, so 'red right returning' still applies.
- CPort-hand marks in IALA-A are red, but the convention reverses so red is kept to port when returning from sea.✓ correct
- DIALA-A uses the same color assignments as IALA-B; only the shape of the buoy differs.
Why C is correct
In IALA-A (Europe, Africa, Australia, most of Asia), port-hand marks are red, but the lateral convention reverses relative to IALA-B — red is kept to port when returning from sea, not to starboard. Light List — IALA-A Port-Hand Mark.
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