Below is a video that explains the project. There is some interesting features of the idea in there, that made my eyebrow raise. I assume that some captains and deck officers will be fairly miffed about the idea. In particular I found the key card / code check in of the duty officer on watch, quite a bit much.
All in the name of safety and security, this plan sure seems like the office "number crunchers" are mounting an all out assault on the concept that the sea was the one last place that an officer of a ship, could operate using his brain and training.
As an engineer, I nervously laugh at this proposal, if these office control freaks could only trouble shoot and fix that purifier that keeps tripping, from their comfortable AC offices, in some nameless glass tower, well at least from 9-4 monday to friday, then life would be grand. Ultimately I understand the concept of efficiency and safety, but then, what's the point of all this training and regs, if you are just going to treat professionals like numbered pawns.
Everybody wants to be the big man; when things are making money then great, but when it goes sideways and tough decisions made, then I'll assume its not the guy in the office that's gets hung out to dry.
You can visit the official website here, and here is an article about it.