In this Chapter F10(except this subsection)—

• F6“bunker oil” means any hydrocarbon mineral oil (including lubricating oil) which is carried by a ship and used or intended to be used for the operation or propulsion of that ship and any residues of such oil;

• “the court” means the High Court or, in Scotland, the Court of Session;

• “damage” includes loss;

• “oil” means persistent hydrocarbon mineral oil F9, except in the term “bunker oil”;

• “owner” F3has the meaning given by section 153A(7);

• “registered owner” means the person or persons registered as the owner of the ship or, in the absence of registration, the person or persons owning the ship, except that, in relation to a ship owned by a State which is operated by a person registered as the ship’s operator, it means the person registered as its operator;

• “relevant threat of contamination” F4includes (unless a contrary intention appears)—

  1. a

     a relevant threat of contamination falling within section 153(2) (as defined in section 153(2A));

  2. b

     a relevant threat of contamination falling within section 153A(2) (as defined in section 153A(4)); and

  3. c

     a relevant threat of contamination falling within section 154(2) (as defined in section 154(2B)); and

• “ship” (subject to section 154(5)) means any sea-going vessel or sea-borne craft of any type whatsoever.

In relation to any damage or cost resulting from the discharge or escape of any oil F2or bunker oil from a ship, or from a relevant threat of contamination, references in this Chapter to the owner F8or the registered owner of the ship are references to the owner F7or the registered owner (as the case may be) at the time of the occurrence or first of the occurrences resulting in the discharge or escape or (as the case may be) in the threat of contamination.