An important buoy for all traffic in Belfast Lough, it sits in the centre of an imaginary line between Grey Point and Carrickfergus Castle and marks the limit of authority for the Port of Belfast.
No commercial shipping is allowed to past west of this buoy without firstly informing the Port of Belfast and many vessels have to wait east of this point until a pilot comes on board to take them into the harbour
J3576 : Belfast Harbour Pilot Boat 'PB4'. The buoy is a permanent fixture and is anchored firmly to the seabed. It is equipped with a light and emits an electronic navigation signal.
Please note that the buoy was moved to a new position in the lough from 30th September 2012 to 54°42’.32 N, 005°42.30 W or
J4800986583. See
J4786 : Belfast Fairway Buoy.