Article 1 Definitions

For the purposes of this Protocol:

1. (a)

   ‘Convention’ means the Convention for the Protection of the Mediterranean Sea against Pollution, adopted at Barcelona on 16 February 1976;

2. (b)

   ‘Organisation’ means the body referred to in Article 17 of the Convention;

3. (c)

   ‘Resources’ means all mineral resources, whether solid, liquid or gaseous;

4. (d)

   ‘Activities concerning exploration and/or exploitation of the resources in the Protocol Area’ (hereinafter referred to as ‘activities’) means:

   1. (i)

      Activities of scientific research concerning the resources of the seabed and its subsoil;

   2. (ii)

      Exploration activities:

      • Seismological activities; surveys of the seabed and its subsoil; sample taking;

      • Exploration drilling;

   3. (iii)

      Exploitation activities:

      • Establishment of an installation for the purpose of recovering resources, and activities connected therewith;

      • Development drilling;

      • Recovery, treatment and storage;

      • Transportation to shore by pipeline and loading of ships;

      • Maintenance, repair and other ancillary operations;

5. (e)

   ‘Pollution’ is defined as in Article 2, paragraph (a), of the Convention;

6. (f)

   ‘Installation’ means any fixed or floating structure, and any integral part thereof, that is engaged in activities, including, in particular:

   1. (i)

      Fixed or mobile offshore drilling units;

   2. (ii)

      Fixed or floating production units including dynamically-positioned units;

   3. (iii)

      Offshore storage facilities including ships used for this purpose;

   4. (iv)

      Offshore loading terminals and transport systems for the extracted products, such as submarine pipelines;

   5. (v)

      Apparatus attached to it and equipment for the reloading, processing, storage and disposal of substances removed from the seabed or its subsoil;

7. (g)

   ‘Operator’ means:

   1. (i)

      Any natural or juridical person who is authorised by the Party exercising jurisdiction over the area where the activities are undertaken (hereinafter referred to as the ‘Contracting Party’) in accordance with this Protocol to carry out activities and/or who carries out such activities; or

   2. (ii)

      Any person who does not hold an authorisation within the meaning of this Protocol but is de facto in control of such activities;

8. (h)

   ‘Safety zone’ means a zone established around installations in conformity with the provisions of general international law and technical requirements, with appropriate markings to ensure the safety of both navigation and the installations;

9. (i)

   ‘Wastes’ means substances and materials of any kind, form or description resulting from activities covered by this Protocol which are disposed of or are intended for disposal or are required to be disposed of;

10. (j)

    ‘Harmful or noxious substances and materials’ means substances and materials of any kind, form or description, which might cause pollution, if introduced into the Protocol Area;

11. (k)

    ‘Chemical Use Plan’ means a plan drawn up by the operator of any offshore installation which shows:

    1. (i)

       The chemicals which the operator intends to use in the operations;

    2. (ii)

       The purpose or purposes for which the operator intends to use the chemicals;

    3. (iii)

       The maximum concentrations of the chemicals which the operator intends to use within any other substances, and maximum amounts intended to be used in any specified period;

    4. (iv)

       The area within which the chemical may escape into the marine environment;

12. (l)

    ‘Oil’ means petroleum in any form including crude oil, fuel oil, oily sludge, oil refuse and refined products and, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes the substances listed in the Appendix to this Protocol;

13. (m)

    ‘Oily mixture’ means a mixture with any oil content;

14. (n)

    ‘Sewage’ means:

    1. (i)

       Drainage and other wastes from any form of toilets, urinals and water-closet scuppers;

    2. (ii)

       Drainage from medical premises (dispensary, sick bay, etc.) via wash basins, wash tubs and scuppers located in such premises;

    3. (iii)

       Other waste waters when mixed with the drainages defined above;

15. (o)

    ‘Garbage’ means all kinds of food, domestic and operational waste generated during the normal operation of the installation and liable to be disposed of continuously or periodically, except those substances which are defined or listed elsewhere in this Protocol;

16. (p)

    ‘Freshwater limit’ means the place in water courses where, at low tides and in a period of low freshwater flow, there is an appreciable increase in salinity due to the presence of sea water.