S.L. 234.32 Art. 4Protocol I, Annex I, Annex II, Annex III and Annex VI given force of law in Malta.

(1) Protocol I and Annex I, except for regulations 10(7)

and 12, and Annex II, except for regulation 7, and Annex III, as may from time to time be in force, and Annex VI, except for regulation 17, shall, unless otherwise provided in or in terms of these regulations and notwithstanding the provision of any other law, form part of and be enforceable as part of the Law of Malta and shall apply to all Maltese ships and, notwithstanding the provisions of Article 3(1) of the MARPOL Convention but subject to the provisions of Article 3(3) of the said convention, to all other ships while they are in Maltese waters as determined by the said Annexes, and the reference to ''all ships'' in regulation 2(1) of Annex I and in regulation 1 of Annex VI, ''all ships carrying noxious liquid substances in bulk'' in regulation 2(1) of Annex II and ''all ships carrying harmful substances in packaged form'' in regulation 1(1) of Annex III shall be construed accordingly.

(2) The Registrar-General may either on a case by case basis or through the issue of Merchant Shipping Notices -

(a) determine, lay down, prescribe, set or specify what may be required to be determined, laid down, prescribed, set or specified by these regulations, by the MARPOL Convention, by Protocol I, by Annex I, by Annex II , by Annex III or by Annex VI, or expound on the requirements of these regulations or of such Convention, Protocol, or Annexes or clarify their applicability or interpretation; and

(b) extend any of the provisions of the MARPOL Convention, Protocol I, Annex I, Annex II, Annex III and Annex VI to other classes of Maltese ships or, to other classes of ships while they are in Maltese waters, and in so doing, and without prejudice to the generality of the foregoing, the Registrar-General shall be guided by the circulars, clarifications, codes, decisions, directives, guidelines, instruments, interpretations, manuals, notices, publications, recommendations, regulations, resolutions, rules or any other similar medium of the International Maritime Organisation or any other body or organization with an appropriate knowledge or competence on the subject matter.