S.L. 234.55 Art. 2Interpretation. Cap. 234. Cap. 499. Cap. 226.

(1) In these regulations, unless the context otherwise requires:

"the Act" means the Merchant Shipping Act;

"competent authority" means the Authority for Transport in Malta established by article 5 of the Authority for Transport in Malta Act and in relation to other State parties means the national maritime administration maintained by those States;

"Convention" means the International Convention for the Control and Management of Ships’ Ballast Water and Sediments, 2004, including any amendment 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 Organization;

"Maltese Ships" shall have the same meaning as is assigned to it in article 3(1) of the Act;

"Registrar General" shall have the same meaning as is assigned to it in the Act;

"territorial waters" shall have the same meaning as is assigned to it in the Territorial Waters and Contiguous Zone Act.

(2) Unless otherwise defined in the Act or 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 Convention.