IALA standards may contain normative and informative provisions.

Normative provisions are those with which it is necessary to conform in order to claim compliance to the Standard.

Informative provisions are those which specify additional desirable practices but with which it is not necessary to conform in order to claim compliance to the Standard.

This Standard references normative and informative provisions, detailed in the listed IALA recommendations, covering the following scope:

• Wide and medium bandwidth systems
• Narrow bandwidth systems
• Harmonized maritime connectivity