What is the Emergency Wreck Marking Buoy?

The buoy has the following characteristics:

• A pillar or spar buoy, with size dependant on location.
• Coloured in equal number and dimensions of blue and yellow vertical stripes (minimum of 4 stripes and maximum of 8 stripes).
• Fitted with an alternating blue and yellow flashing light with a nominal range of 4 nautical miles where the blue and yellow 1 second flashes are alternated with an interval of 0.5 seconds.
• If multiple buoys are deployed then the lights should be synchronised.
• Consideration should be given to the use of a racon Morse code “D” and/or AIS transponder.

• The top mark, if fitted, is to be a standing/upright yellow cross.

• The light characteristic was chosen to eliminate confusion with blue lights to identify law enforcement, security and emergency services.

Fig : Emergency wreck marking buoy