s 2
(1) If any oil to which section 1 of the principal Act applies is discharged anywhere at sea from a British ship registered in the United Kingdom, being a ship of twenty thousand tons gross tonnage or more for which the building contract was entered into on or after the coming into operation of this section, or if there is so discharged from such a ship any such oily mixture as is mentioned in subsection (1) of that section, the owner or master of the ship shall, subject to the provisions of the principal Act, be guilty of an offence: Provided that it shall be a defence to prove that by reason of special circumstances it was impracticable or unreasonable to retain the oil or mixture in the ship. (2) Where any such oil or oily mixture is discharged at sea from such a ship as aforesaid, the master of the ship shall as soon as may be report the fact in the prescribed form and manner to the Minister, and if he fails to comply with this subsection he shall be guilty of an offence. (3) Section 1 (3) of the principal Act (power to prescribe exceptions) shall apply to subsection (1) of this section, and sections 4 (special defences) and 6 (penalties) of the principal Act shall apply in relation to offences under the said subsection (1). (4) In subsection (2) of this section “ prescribed’? means prescribed by regulation under section 7 of the principal Act, and subsection (5) of that section (failure to keep records and falsification of records) and subsection (6) thereof (evidence) shall apply in relation to reports required by subsection (2) of this section as they apply in relation to records required under the said section 7. (5) For the purpose of giving effect to any variation of the Convention of 1954 or to any subsequent Convention the Minister may by order apply the foregoing provisions of this section to ships of such classes as may be specified in the order. (6) Nothing in this section shall be taken to authorise the discharge of oil or oily mixture in a prohibited sea area.