What shape are can buoys, and how are they marked?

Can buoys are typically cylindrical in shape and are marked with green colors. This marking and shape help indicate navigational information to boaters. Green buoys are part of a system used to mark channels or provide warnings about safe areas within the water. In the United States, this color coding aligns with the lateral system of buoys, where green markers generally denote the left side of a channel when entering from the sea or an upstream perspective.

Understanding this system is essential for safe navigation, as can buoys help vessels determine safe passage through potentially hazardous areas. Other buoy shapes and colors, such as red colors or triangular shapes, are associated with different types of navigational aids and do not specifically refer to can buoys.