General Lighthouse Authority
Encyclopedia
A General Lighthouse Authority (GLA) is a dedicated Government Agency of a Country or Nation tasked with and responsible for the provision and maintenance of lighthouses, lightvessels, navigational aids and any other equipment or facilities which ensure the safety of mariners
and sailors
navigating the country's territorial waters, seas or oceans.
A GLA should not be confused with the Coast guard
whom also are responsible and concerned with the safety of mariners / sailors at sea but to which have a slightly different role.
In many countries across the world
therefore the General Lighthouse Authority is separate to (but works closely with) the Coastguard.
Conversely in some countries the coast guard is the General Lighthouse Authority.
A local lighthouse authority however will ultimately subscribe to the General Lighthouse Authority's policy on the correct maintenance and provision of such equipment.
Any navigational aids supplied by a LLA are normally inspected by the GLA to ensure they meet Internationally agreed standards and codes.
, lightvessel
or other visual aid, visible at night, which has been provided and maintained by a governmental department or agency known as a General Lighthouse Authority for the purposes of navigation at sea and maritime safety.
National Lights are so called because they are provided by a nation's government and may form part of a network of lighthouse protecting the country's coastline.
Sailor
A sailor, mariner, or seaman is a person who navigates water-borne vessels or assists in their operation, maintenance, or service. The term can apply to professional mariners, military personnel, and recreational sailors as well as a plethora of other uses...
and sailors
Sailors
Sailors is the plural form of Sailor, or mariner.Sailors may also refer to:*Sailors , a 1964 Swedish film*Ken Sailors , American basketball playerSports teams*Erie Sailors, baseball teams in Pennsylvania, USA...
navigating the country's territorial waters, seas or oceans.
A GLA should not be confused with the Coast guard
Coast guard
A coast guard or coastguard is a national organization responsible for various services at sea. However the term implies widely different responsibilities in different countries, from being a heavily armed military force with customs and security duties to being a volunteer organization tasked with...
whom also are responsible and concerned with the safety of mariners / sailors at sea but to which have a slightly different role.
In many countries across the world
World
World is a common name for the whole of human civilization, specifically human experience, history, or the human condition in general, worldwide, i.e. anywhere on Earth....
therefore the General Lighthouse Authority is separate to (but works closely with) the Coastguard.
Conversely in some countries the coast guard is the General Lighthouse Authority.
Local Lighthouse Authorities
A Local Lighthouse Authority (LLA) may refer to a Port, Harbour or other responsible Authority which provides local navigational aids and/or lighthouses as part of its facilities.A local lighthouse authority however will ultimately subscribe to the General Lighthouse Authority's policy on the correct maintenance and provision of such equipment.
Relationship between Local and General Lighthouse Authorities
Most ports and harbours authorities around the world operate their own local navigational aids to help mariners enter or exit the port safely. As such ports and harbours become Local Lighthouse Authorities (LLA).Any navigational aids supplied by a LLA are normally inspected by the GLA to ensure they meet Internationally agreed standards and codes.
National Light
A National Light is a term used to describe a lighthouseLighthouse
A lighthouse is a tower, building, or other type of structure designed to emit light from a system of lamps and lenses or, in older times, from a fire, and used as an aid to navigation for maritime pilots at sea or on inland waterways....
, lightvessel
Lightvessel
A lightvessel, or lightship, is a ship which acts as a lighthouse. They are used in waters that are too deep or otherwise unsuitable for lighthouse construction...
or other visual aid, visible at night, which has been provided and maintained by a governmental department or agency known as a General Lighthouse Authority for the purposes of navigation at sea and maritime safety.
National Lights are so called because they are provided by a nation's government and may form part of a network of lighthouse protecting the country's coastline.
See also
- Trinity HouseTrinity HouseThe Corporation of Trinity House of Deptford Strond is the official General Lighthouse Authority for England, Wales and other British territorial waters...
- The GLA for EnglandEnglandEngland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
WalesWalesWales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
, Channel IslandsChannel IslandsThe Channel Islands are an archipelago of British Crown Dependencies in the English Channel, off the French coast of Normandy. They include two separate bailiwicks: the Bailiwick of Guernsey and the Bailiwick of Jersey...
and GibraltarGibraltarGibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region... - Northern Lighthouse BoardNorthern Lighthouse BoardThe Northern Lighthouse Board is the General Lighthouse Authority for Scotland and the Isle of Man. It is a non-departmental public body responsible for marine navigation aids around coastal areas.-History:...
- The GLA for ScotlandScotlandScotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and the Isle of ManIsle of ManThe Isle of Man , otherwise known simply as Mann , is a self-governing British Crown Dependency, located in the Irish Sea between the islands of Great Britain and Ireland, within the British Isles. The head of state is Queen Elizabeth II, who holds the title of Lord of Mann. The Lord of Mann is... - Commissioners of Irish LightsCommissioners of Irish LightsThe Commissioners of Irish Lights is the body that serves as the lighthouse authority for Ireland plus its adjacent seas and islands...
- The GLA for the whole of IrelandIrelandIreland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...