Minor computer issues can occur at any time. A program might start misbehaving or settings might be lost. Some of these cases can be solved by the crew, but if the issue proves more difficult than expected the next option available is often to have an engineer board the vessel to resolve the issue. Seeing as many issues can be solved within minutes by the engineer, when presented with only those two options, getting an engineer to board can seem expensive. On the other hand, if the problem is not solved in a timely manner it could hinder the crew in daily operations which in turn could lead to loss of revenue.

Port-IT now presents a middle ground where many issues can be resolved without having an engineer board the vessel physically: Virtual Engineer.