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.

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