Lateral Marker Buoys:
Lateral marker buoys define a channel and indicate the port and starboard sides of the navigation rout to be followed into a waterway. The port and starboard marks signify the left and right boundary. The vessel should keep port marks to its left and keep starboard marks to its right.

Cardinal Marker Buoys:
Cardinal marker Buoys are used to signify a danger and show where the safest water can be found. The cardinal mark is named after a quadrant in which the hazard is placed and the named side of the mark directs to the safe path. The cardinal marker buoys could be placed at a bend or junction of a channel, or the end of a shoal

Emergency Wreck Marking Buoys:
Wreck marker buoys indicate that there is shipwreck in the water with the objective of securing safety of the navigation channels

Special Marker Buoys:
A special mark buoys is used to indicate a feature such as military exercise zones, recreation zones, speed limits, mooring agrees, cables, pipelines including outfall sewerage pipes, marine surveying, water movement boundary, water protection zones, anything not covered in the standard buoys

Safe Water Marker Buoys:
A safe water marker buoy is set in in the center or the centerline of the waterway to indicate its surroundings are navigable waters: it can also replace cardinal or lateral marks to indicate being close to land.