Last reviewed 21 October 2026

In Brazil, anyone other than the Navy who establishes, changes or removes an aid to navigation must have a project approved by the Brazilian Navy. That includes buoys, beacons, lights, leading lines and AIS aids. Once the aid is in service, it must be maintained to defined performance standards. The governing rule is NORMAM-601/DHN, the Maritime Authority Standards for Aids to Navigation, issued by the Directorate of Hydrography and Navigation (DHN). Projects are handled by the Centro de Auxílios à Navegação Almirante Moraes Rego (CAMR) in Niterói, together with the local Capitania dos Portos (Harbour Master's Office). This guide is for terminal developers, EPC contractors and port operators planning new berths, channels or private terminals in Brazil.

This guide summarizes public rules as of October 2026. It is not legal advice. Check the current text of NORMAM-601/DHN and confirm the procedure with the CAMR and the local Capitania dos Portos before planning.

The rule: NORMAM-601/DHN

NORMAM-601/DHN was approved by Portaria DHN/DGN/MB nº 23 of 21 September 2023 and has been in force since 2 October 2023. It replaced NORMAM-17/DHN. Some suppliers' documents and older tender specifications still cite NORMAM-17, so check that your consultants and contractors work to the current standard. The copy we reviewed is marked as the original 2023 edition. Check the DHN website for any later amendments.

Other rules usually apply to the same project:

  • NORMAM-501/DHN for hydrographic surveys that support the project.
  • NORMAM-303/DPC for mooring buoys and single-point moorings. Item 4.9 of NORMAM-601 refers these to NORMAM-303, the standard for works and related activities in Brazilian waters.
  • Law 6.421/1977, which requires the Navy's consent for works that interfere with aids to navigation.

IALA Region B

Brazil uses the IALA Maritime Buoyage System, Region B, adopted by Decree nº 92.267/1986 and reproduced in NORMAM-601. In Region B, lateral marks are the reverse of Region A: entering from seaward, red marks are kept to starboard and green marks to port. Equipment and project drawings prepared for Region A countries must be converted, including buoy colours, topmarks and light characters. The CAMR checks this when it reviews the project.

Temporary, permanent and provisional aids

NORMAM-601 uses specific terms, and using them correctly avoids delays:

Type NORMAM-601 item Typical use Who authorizes
Permanent establishment or alteration Chapter 4 New terminal approach, channel buoyage, permanent leading lights Approved project (CAMR/DHN)
Temporary establishment or alteration 4.5 Construction period, dredging campaign, temporary channel change DHN
Provisional authorization 4.6 Exceptional cases needing a quick interim solution Capitania, and also the CAMR and regional signalling services
Special marks for dredging and works 4.7 Marking work areas, pipelines, dredge spoil areas As set in the item
Restricted areas, aquaculture, hydropower perimeters 4.8 Exclusion zones and farm limits As set in the item

A port project typically needs temporary marking during construction and a permanent scheme for operation. Plan both from the start.

How a buoyage project is approved

The CAMR publishes a checklist for NORMAM-601 projects. For permanent establishment or alteration, the core documents are:

  • a descriptive memorandum explaining the aids, their purpose and their characteristics;
  • drawings showing positions, coordinates and the existing aids nearby;
  • a bathymetric plan based on a category "A" hydrographic survey under NORMAM-501/DHN.

Under item 4.12, the project must be signed by a qualified designer. That means a Navy officer with the advanced hydrography qualification, or a professional registered with the CONFEA/CREA system under Plenary Decision 0864/2016. A foreign engineering firm therefore usually needs a Brazilian-registered professional to sign.

A typical sequence:

  1. Define the navigational need: design ship, channel, berth and the existing aids.
  2. Carry out or obtain a category "A" hydrographic survey.
  3. Prepare the project following the CAMR checklist.
  4. Submit it to the CAMR, involving the local Capitania as required.
  5. Answer any technical comments.
  6. Receive approval, recorded in minutes (ata).
  7. Install the aids and report their entry into service so that charts and notices to mariners can be updated.

Timing. There is no published deadline for approval. As one public example, the CAMR's project list shows a permanent alteration of the aids in the Port of Vitória access channel. It was filed on 26 March 2026 and approved in minutes dated 12 June 2026, about 11 weeks later. Treat this as an example, not a guaranteed timeframe, and add time for surveys, fabrication and installation.

Who can maintain aids: CAMR registration

Item 4.11 of NORMAM-601 requires companies outside the Navy that operate and maintain aids to navigation, and their technical managers, to be registered with the CAMR. The registration requires, among other things, a Brazilian company registration with the economic activity code for installing navigation aids (CNAE 43.29-1/02). It must be renewed every 36 months. The CAMR publishes a list of registered companies, and checking it is a sensible step before awarding a maintenance contract.

Item 4.10 sets the operation and maintenance requirements:

  • a technical manager on the permanent staff: a Navy officer with the hydrography qualification, a petty officer with the lighthouse-keeper qualification, or a CONFEA/CREA professional;
  • at least one properly registered vessel;
  • an effectiveness index of at least 95%;
  • aids with an operational fault restored within a maximum of 72 hours;
  • a history record for each aid.

The aid's owner remains responsible. Inspections by the Capitania, the CAMR or the regional signalling service do not take over the operator's maintenance and control duties.

Maintenance contracts: what to include

A maintenance contract should reflect the NORMAM-601 standards rather than only list visits. Include:

  • the list of aids covered, with approved positions and characteristics;
  • a planned inspection frequency for lanterns, power systems, buoy hulls and moorings;
  • underwater inspection of mooring components (sinker, chain, shackles, swivel);
  • a fault-response commitment compatible with the 72-hour limit;
  • monthly reporting of the effectiveness index;
  • an up-to-date history record for each aid;
  • notifications to the Capitania and the CAMR when an aid fails, moves or is restored;
  • spare lanterns, batteries and mooring parts, and the vessel and crew available for response.

Safe Offshore supplies buoys and mooring equipment and supports the installation and maintenance of aids to navigation from Vitória. We can help scope a project or a maintenance plan.

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