Lights & Sound Signals

Vessel Type Underway Underway (Not At Aground Sound

(Making Making Way) Anchor Signal
Way) (Every 2
Min)
Power-Driven Vessel Masthead Same as 'Making Anchor Two red Making
(PDV) light(s), Way' but no light lights + Way: 1
Sidelights, sidelights & (White) Anchor prolonge
Sternlight sternlight light d
Not
Making
Way: 2
prolonge
d
Sailing Vessel Sidelights, Same as 'Making Anchor Two red 1
Sternlight Way' but no light lights (if prolonge
sidelights/sternlig (Optiona required d+2
ht l if <7m) ) short
Fishing - Trawling Green over Green over white, **NO Two red 1
white, No Anchor lights prolonge
Masthead sidelights/sternlig light d+2
light (if ht (Only short
>50m), normal
Sidelights, fishing
Sternlight lights
remain)*
*
Fishing - Other than Red over Red over white, No **NO Two red 1
Trawling white, No sidelights/sternlig Anchor lights prolonge
masthead ht light d+2
light, (Only short
Sidelights, normal
Sternlight fishing
lights
remain)*
*
Towing - Length of Two Two masthead Anchor Two red 1
Tow < 200m masthead lights in a vertical light lights prolonge
lights in a line, No (White) d+2
vertical line sidelights/sternlig short
+ Yellow ht
over white,
Sidelights,
Sternlight,
Towing
 light
Towing - Length of Three Three masthead Anchor Two red 1
Tow > 200m masthead lights in a vertical light lights prolonge
lights in a line, No (White) d+3
vertical line sidelights/sternlig short
+ Yellow ht
over white,
Sidelights,
Sternlight,
Towing
light
Pushing Ahead / Two Two masthead Anchor Two red 1
Composite Unit masthead lights, No light lights prolonge
lights in a sidelights/sternlig (White) d+2
vertical line ht short
+ Sidelights
+ Sternlight
Air-Cushion Vessel All-round Same as 'Making Anchor Two red 1
(Non-Displacement flashing Way' light lights prolonge
Mode) yellow light (White) d
+ PDV
Lights
Vessel Restricted in Red-White- Red-White-Red, No Anchor Two red 1
Ability to Manoeuvre Red, sidelights/sternlig light lights prolonge
(RAM) Masthead ht (White) d+2
light(s), + Red- short
Sidelights, White-
Sternlight Red still
displaye
d
RAM - Red-White- Same as 'Making Anchor Two red 1
Dredging/Underwat Red + Two Way' light lights prolonge
er Operations red lights (White) d+2
(Obstructio + Red- short
n side) + White-
Two green Red still
lights displaye
(Passage d
side)
RAM - Diving Red-White- Red-White-Red Anchor Two red 1
Operations Red + Code light lights prolonge
Flag 'A' (White) d+2
+ Red- short
White-
Red still
displaye
d
RAM - Mine Three Three green lights Anchor Two red 1
Clearance green lights in a triangle light lights prolonge
 in a triangle (White) d+2
+ Normal + Three short
PDV lights green
lights
still
displaye
d
Vessel Not Under Two red Two red lights, No Anchor Two red 1
Command (NUC) lights in a sidelights/sternlig light lights prolonge
vertical ht (White) d+2
line, No short
masthead
light,
Sidelights,
Sternlight
Vessel Constrained Three red Same as 'Making Anchor Two red 1
by Draft (CBD) lights in a Way' but no light lights prolonge
vertical sidelights and (White) d+2
line, sternlight short
Masthead
light(s),
Sidelights,
Sternlight
Pilot Vessel White over White over Red, Anchor Two red 1
Red, No light lights prolonge
Sidelights, sidelights/sternlig (White) d+2
Sternlight ht short
Inconspicuous Partly White all- N/A N/A N/A No fog
Submerged Tow round light signal
at each end
(if >25m
wide:
additional
lights)

Sound Signals for All Vessels

Condition Sound Signal
Power-Driven Vessel Making Way 1 prolonged every 2 min
Power-Driven Vessel Not Making Way 2 prolonged every 2 min
Sailing, Fishing, Towing, Pushing, RAM, 1 prolonged + 2 short every 2 min
NUC, CBD
Vessel at Anchor (< 100m) 5-second bell every 1 min
Vessel at Anchor (> 100m) 5-second bell + Gong every 1 min
Vessel Aground 3 strokes + 5 sec bell + 3 strokes every 1
min
Vessel Towing 1 prolonged + 2 short every 2 min
Vessel being Towed 1 prolonged + 3 short every 2 min
Pilot Vessel Optional: 4 short blasts in addition to
normal signals