S.L. 234.47 ст. 2Interpretation. Cap. 234.

(1) In these regulations unless the context otherwise requires -''the Act'' means the Merchant Shipping Act; ''Maltese ship'' has the same meaning as is assigned to it in article 3(1) of the Act; ''MARPOL 73/78'' means the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships signed in London on the 2nd November, 1973, including its Protocol of 1978 and any other amendment or Protocol related thereto, as may from time to time be ratified, acceded to or accepted by the Government of Malta and other instruments, standards and specifications of a mandatory nature related thereto adopted or developed by the International Maritime Organisation or determined, laid down, prescribed, set or specified by the Registrar-General in terms of these regulations;

''Annex IV'' means Annex IV of MARPOL 73/78: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships including any other amendment related thereto, as may from time to time be ratified, acceded to or accepted by the Government of Malta and other instruments, standards and specifications of a mandatory nature related thereto, adopted or developed by the International Maritime Organisation or determined, laid down, prescribed, set or specified by the Registrar-General in terms of these regulations or of Annex IV; ''mile'' means an international nautical mile that is to say a distance of 1852 metres; ''nearest land'' means from the baseline from which the territorial sea of the territory in question is established in accordance with international law except that, for the purposes of these regulations ''from the nearest land'' off the north eastern coast of Australia shall mean from a line drawn from a point on the coast of Australia in: Latitude 11°00’ S, longitude 142°08’ E

To a point in latitude 10°35’ S, longitude 141°55’ E Thence to a point latitude 10°00’ S, longitude 142°00’ E Thence to a point latitude 9°10’ S, longitude 143°52’ E

Thence to a point latitude 9°00’ S, longitude 144°30’ E Thence to a point latitude 10°41’ S, longitude 145°00’ E Thence to a point latitude 13°00’ S, longitude 145°00’ E Thence to a point latitude 15°00’ S, longitude 146°00’ E

Thence to a point latitude 17°30’ S, longitude 147°00’ E Thence to a point latitude 21°00’ S, longitude 152°55’ E Thence to a point latitude 24°30’ S, longitude 154°00’ E

Thence to a point on the coast of Australia in latitude 24°42’ S, longitude 153°15’ E;

''sewage'' means:

(a) drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets and urinals;

(b) drainage from medical premises (such as dispensary, sick bay) via wash basins, wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises;

(c) drainage from spaces containing living animals; or

(d) other wastewaters when mixed with the drainages defined above.

(2) Any reference in these regulations, to a convention, protocol or annex shall include reference to any amendment to such convention, protocol or annex as from time to time may be ratified, acceded to or accepted by the Government of Malta, and where the context allows, it shall include also reference to any other instruments, standards and specifications of a mandatory nature related thereto as may from time to time be adopted or developed by the International Maritime Organisation.

(3) Unless otherwise defined in these regulations or unless the context otherwise requires, words and expressions used in these regulations shall have the same meaning assigned to them in the MARPOL Convention or in Protocol I, or in Annex IV as the case may be.

(4) The term ''Administration'' as used in Annex IV shall, with reference to Malta, and where the context so requires, for the purposes of these regulations, mean the Registrar General of Shipping and Seamen.