Cap. 412 Art. 2Interpretation. Cap. 234. Cap. 226.

(1) In this Act, unless the context otherwise requires -

"Conventions" means the 1992 Fund Convention and the 1992 Liability Convention; "Fund Convention" means the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, adopted at Brussels on 18 December, 1971, as amended by the Protocol thereto done in London on the 19 November, 1976; "IOPC Fund" means The International Oil Pollution Compensation Fund 1992 established under the provisions of the 1992 Fund Convention; "Liability Convention" means the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage adopted at Brussels on 29 November, 1969, as amended by the Protocol thereto done at London on the 19 November, 1976; "Minister" means the Minister responsible for shipping and except for the power to make regulations granted to the Minister by this Act, includes any public officer, or any officer of any body corporate established by law, acting under his authority;

"Registrar-General" means the Registrar-General of Shipping and Seamen appointed under article 363 of the Merchant Shipping

Act and includes any person acting under his authority; "territorial waters of Malta" shall have the same meaning as is assigned to the term in the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act;

"1992 Fund Convention" means the Fund Convention as amended by the 1992 Fund Protocol known as the International Convention on the Establishment of an International Fund for Compensation for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992, and any amendments thereto accepted by the Government of Malta; amended by the 1992 Liability Protocol known as the International Convention on Civil Liability for Oil Pollution Damage, 1992, and any amendments thereto accepted by the Government of Malta; "1992 Liability Protocol" means the Protocol of 1992, adopted at London on the 27th November, 1992, amending the Liability Convention.

(2) In this Act and in any regulations made thereunder, if there is any conflict between the English and Maltese text, the English text shall prevail.

(3) Unless the context otherwise requires, words and expressions used in this Act shall have the same meaning assigned to them in the Conventions.