ISO 14726 pipe markers

IDIGO Marine & Offshore Pipe Markers ISO 14726:2008 Dual Color Coding

The most commonly used standard for such marking in Marine & Offshore is ISO 14726, Ships and marine technology — Identification colours for the content of piping systems. See link to official standard in the footnotes at the end of this section.

IDIGO pipe marking tapes are fully compliant with ISO 14726:2008 and are available in various materials and mounting mode for pipe of any diameter.

If your project need ANSI / ASME A13.1 compliance, see our page dedicated to ASME A13.1 Color Coding.

We also support NBR6493, NORSOK Z-DP-002 and more. Consult us directly for such projects.

ISO 14726:2008: Ships and marine technology — Identification colours for the content of piping systems

Color Coding principles ISO 14726

ISO 14726 defines color coding based on pipe fluid classes.

Initially, aka in ISO 14726-1:1999, only one color, later called main color, was used to represent the generic class of the fluid, out of 12 defined classes.

ISO 14726-2:2002 added a secondary color to be used in complement of the main color to identify subclasses.

ISO 14726 also roughtly defines how these colors should be used, with the main color being on the "outside" and occupying at least 50% of the total marker surface.

Fluid Classes: Main Colors ISO 14726:1999

Main classes and associated colors, "coded" in the ISO documentation using a short code, with their colorimetry defined, are as follows:

ISO 14726 Main Fluid Classes & Colors
Fluid Class ColorCode Sample Code

Waste Media

 BlackBK
Black water White Text On Black
BK

Fresh Water

 BlueBU
Potable water White Text On Blue
BU

Fuel

 BrownBN
Heavy fuel oil White Text On Brown
BN

Sea Water

 GreenGN
Ballast water White Text On Green
GN

Non-flammable Gases

 GreyGY
Oxygen White Text On Grey
GY

Air and Sounding Pipes

 MaroonMN
Vent White Text On Maroon
MN

Oil other than Fuel

 OrangeOG
Hydraulic Fluid Black Text On Orange
OG

Steam

 SilverSR
Supply Steam Black Text On Silver
SR

Fire Fighting

 RedRD
Sprinkler Water White Text On Red
RD

Acids, Alkalis

 VioletVT
Hydrochloric acid White Text On Violet
VT

Air in Ventilation Systems

 WhiteWH
Discharge Air Black Text On White
WH

Flammable Gases

 YellowYE
Hydrogen Black Text On Yellow
YE

Full List of Fluid classes and subclasses with their color combinations ISO 14726:2008

Below you will find fluid class "tabs", one per main ISO fluid class, displaying all defined subclasses, related colors* combination and sample using:

  • right & left bands in primary color with directional arrow,
  • center band with secondary color and single legend.

Also of notes:

  • missing combinations can be used for user-defined fluid subclasses, as long as main color is correctly assigned,
  • legends are also often project specifics, in multiple langages etc.
ISO 14726 Dual-Color Fluid Classes
  1. Waste Media
  2. Fresh Water
  3. Fuel
  4. Sea Water
  5. Non-flammable Gases
  6. Air and Sounding Pipes
  7. Oils other than fuels
  8. Steam
  9. Fire fighting
  10. Acids, alkalis
  11. Air in ventilation systems
  12. Flammable gases

Click on a specific fluid class above to display its detailed subclasses below.

Waste Media
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Black water BK - BU - BK ➔ Black Water White Text On Blue ➔
Waste oil/Used oil BK - BN - BK ➔ Waste oil White Text On Brown ➔
Bilge water BK - GN - BK ➔ Bilge water White Text On Green ➔
Exhaust gas BK - GY - BK ➔ Exhaust gas White Text On Grey ➔
Grey water BK - WH - BK ➔ Grey water Black Text On White ➔
Sewage, Contaminated BK - YE - BK ➔ Sewage Black Text On Yellow ➔
Fresh Water
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Fresh water, sanitary BU - BN - BU ➔ Sanitary Fresh water White Text On Brown ➔
Potable water BU - GN - BU ➔ Potable water White Text On Green ➔
Distillate BU - GY - BU ➔ Distillate White Text On Grey ➔
Gas-turbine wash water BU - OG - BU ➔ Gas-turbine water Black Text On Orange ➔
Feed water BU - SR - BU ➔ Feed water Black Text On Silver ➔
Cooling fresh water BU - VT - BU ➔ Cooling fresh water White Text On Violet ➔
Chilled water BU - WH - BU ➔ Chilled water Black Text On White ➔
Condensate BU - YE - BU ➔ Condensate Black Text On Yellow ➔
Fuel
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Heavy fuel oil (HFO) BN - BK - BN ➔ Heavy fuel oil White Text On Black ➔
Aviation fuel BN - BU - BN ➔ Aviation fuel White Text On Blue ➔
Biological fuel BN - VT - BN ➔ Biological fuel White Text On Violet ➔
Gas turbine fuel BN - WH - BN ➔ Gas turbine fuel Black Text On white ➔
Marine diesel fuel (MDO) BN - YE - BN ➔ Marine diesel fuel Black Text On Yellow ➔
Sea Water
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Decontamination water GN - BU - GN ➔ Decontamination water White Text On Blue ➔
Sea water, sanitary GN - BN - GN ➔ Sanitary sea water White Text On Brown ➔
Ballast water GN - VT - GN ➔ Ballast water White Text On Violet ➔
Cooling sea water GN - YE - GN ➔ Cooling sea water Black Text On Yellow ➔
Non Flammable Gases
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Oxygen GY - BU - GY ➔ Oxygen White Text On Blue ➔
Inert gas GY - BN - GY ➔ Argon White Text On Brown ➔
Nitrogen GY - GN - GY ➔ Nitrogen White Text On Green ➔
Refrigerant GY - MN - GY ➔ Refrigerant White Text On Maroon ➔
Compressed Air,
Low pressure (LP)		 GY - OG - GY ➔ LP Compressed Air Black Text On Orange ➔
Compressed Air,
High pressure (HP)		 GY - RD - GY ➔ HP Compressed Air White Text On Red ➔
Control Air/Regulating Air GY - VT - GY ➔ Control Air White Text On Violet ➔
Breathing Air GY - WH - GY ➔ Breathing Air Black Text On White ➔
Breathing Gas GY - YE - GY ➔ Breathing Gas Black Text On Yellow ➔
Air and Sounding Pipes
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Air, Waste Media MN - BK - MN ➔ Waste Media Vent White Text On Black ➔
Air, Fresh Water MN - BU - MN ➔ Fresh Water Sounding White Text On Blue ➔
Air, Fuel MN - BN - MN ➔ Fuel Sounding White Text On Brown ➔
Air, Sea Water MN - GN - MN ➔ Sea Water Sounding White Text On Green ➔
Air, Non-Flammable Gases MN - GY - MN ➔ Non-Flammable Vent White Text On Grey ➔
Air, Oil other than fuels MN - OG - MN ➔ Oil Vent Black Text On Orange ➔
Air, Steam MN - SR - MN ➔ Steam Vent Black Text On Silver ➔
Air, Fire Fighting MN - RD - MN ➔ Fire Fighting Vent White Text On Red ➔
Air, Acids/Alkalis MN - VT - MN ➔ Acid Vent White Text On Violet ➔
Air, Ventilation system MN - WH - MN ➔ Vent Black Text On White ➔
Air, Flammable gases MN - YE - MN ➔ Flammable Vent Black Text On Yellow ➔
Oils other than fuels
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Thermal Fluid OG - BU - OG ➔ Thermal Fluid White Text On Blue ➔
Lubrification Oil
for Gas Turbines		 OG - GN - OG ➔ Lube Oil, Gas Turbine White Text On Green ➔
Hydraulic Fluid OG - GY - OG ➔ Hydraulic Fluid White Text On Grey ➔
Lubrification Oil
for Steam Turbines		 OG - SR - OG ➔ Lube Oil, Steam Turbine Black Text On Silver ➔
Lubrification Oil
for Gears		 OG - VT - OG ➔ Lube Oil, Gears White Text On Violet ➔
Lubrification Oil
for Internal Combustion Engines		 OG - YE - OG ➔ Lube Oil, Engines Black Text On Yellow ➔
Steam
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Steam for heating purposes SR - BK - SR ➔ Heating Steam White Text On Black ➔
Driving Steam SR - GN - SR ➔ Driving Steam White Text On Green ➔
Exhaust Steam SR - WH - SR ➔ Exhaust Steam Black Text On White ➔
Supply Steam SR - YE - SR ➔ Supply Steam Black Text On Yellow ➔
Fire Fighting
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Fire-Fighting Water RD - GN - RD ➔ Fire-Fighting Water White Text On Green ➔
Fire-Fighting Gas RD - GY - RD ➔ Fire-Fighting Gas White Text On Grey ➔
Sprinkler Water RD - OG - RD ➔ Sprinkler Water Black Text On Orange ➔
Spray Water RD - VT - RD ➔ Spray Water White Text On Violet ➔
Fire-Fighting Powder RD - WH - RD ➔ Fire-Fighting Powder Black Text On White ➔
Fire-Fighting Foam RD - YE - RD ➔ Fire-Fighting Foam Black Text On Yellow ➔
Acids, Alkalis
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Hydrochloric acid* VT - YE - VT ➔ Hydrochloric acid Black Text On Yellow ➔

* All Acids/Alkalis color combinations are user defined, above is just an example.

Air in Ventilation Systems
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Discharge Air WH - BK - WH ➔ Discharge Air Water White Text On Black ➔
Mechanical Supply Air, Cold WH - BU - WH ➔ Cold Mechanical Supply Air White Text On Blue ➔
Natural Exhaust Air WH - BN - WH ➔ Exhaust Air White Text On Brown ➔
Atmospheric Air WH - GN - WH ➔ Atmospheric Air White Text On Green ➔
Mechanical Exhaust Air WH - GY - WH ➔ Mechanical Exhaust Air White Text On Grey ➔
Decontaminated Supply Air WH - MN - WH ➔ Clean Supply Air White Text On Maroon ➔
Mechanical Recirculated Air WH - OG - WH ➔ Recirculated Mechanical Air Black Text On Orange ➔
Mechanical Supply Air, Warm WH - SR - WH ➔ Warm Mechanical Supply Air Black Text On Silver ➔
Smoke Clearance WH - RD - WH ➔ Smoke Clearance White Text On Red ➔
Conditioned Supply Air WH - VT - WH ➔ Conditioned Supply Air White Text On Violet ➔
Natural Supply Air WH - YE - WH ➔ Natural Supply Air Black Text On Yellow ➔
Flammable Gases
Media Description Color Combination Sample
Hydrogen YE - BU - YE ➔ Hydrogen White Text On Blue ➔
Acetylene YE - GY - YE ➔ Acetylene White Text On Grey ➔
Liquid Gas YE - VT - YE ➔ LNG White Text On Violet ➔

* Colors above are indicative and do not reflect actual compliant colors used for markers.

More about our ISO-compliant Pipe Markers…

Looking for White Papers, DataSheets, Installations Guides and more on our IDIGO products?

Goto our Resources page…

IDIGO Pte Ltd

5012 Ang Mo Kio Ave 5, Techplace II #03-04
SINGAPORE 569876
Link to Idigo on Google Map