This safety, supply and survey vessel company used us to assist with a move to changing the culture of the organisation from command and control to a more team based way of working. As part of this we worked with Masters and Ships Engineers on how they were to take more accountability for the decisions surrounding the maintenance and operation of their vessels. There was to be less direction from the 'support' office, and roles were redesigned to work more in the 'support' mode than the directive mode.

This was seen as essential if the company was to be able to compete for the tough contracts being awarded principally in the North Sea. During this time a customer satisfaction survey was also carried out and improvement strategies recommended to the owners, ahead of a buy-out deal agreed with an international shipping company. The success of the changes at Seaboard were part of the contribution to the company's profitability and its attractiveness to internationally acquisitive shipping companies seeking to get in to the North Sea.