The answer to your question is that this type of provision is not unique in this bill or this statute. In terms of this bill, the concept already exists in five of the nine statutes we are amending. These are just amendments to make the text consistent across the board. There's really nothing unique in terms of ships or the maritime context. The concept applies across the board to all potential applications of these statutes.
On May 7th, 2009. See this statement in context.