The Merchant Shipping (Implementation of Ship-Source Pollution Directive) Regulations 2009

Amendment of section 131 of the Merchant Shipping Act 1995

3.—(1) Section 131 of the Act (discharge of oil from ships into certain United Kingdom waters) is amended as follows.

(2) Before subsection (1) insert—

“(A1) In this section “relevant discharge” means—

(a) a discharge of oil or a mixture containing oil which is made—

(i) from a ship which is an offshore installation, and

(ii) into United Kingdom national waters which are navigable by sea-going ships, or

(b) a discharge of oil or a mixture containing oil which is made—

(i) from a ship which is not an offshore installation, and

(ii) into United Kingdom national waters which are navigable by sea-going ships but which do not form part of the sea.”

(3) In subsection (1)—

(a) for the words from “If any oil” to “seagoing ships, then” substitute “If there is a relevant discharge”;

(b) in paragraph (a), omit “if the discharge is from a ship,”; and

(c) in paragraph (b), for “is from a ship but” substitute “from the ship”.

(4) In subsection (2) after “any discharge” insert “from an offshore installation”.

(5) After subsection (3) insert—

“(3A) In this section “offshore installation” means any mobile or fixed drilling or production platform or any other platform used in connection with the exploration, exploitation or associated offshore processing of sea bed mineral resources.”