Sealion, led by the 2 principal founders, co-owned and operated 3 units of 7000 dwt shelter-decker vessels on an independent service to and from the east coast of Australia, Tasmania, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia and Thailand. The vessel ownership was under the name of Bulan Transportation Pte Ltd, trading under the service name of White Star Line whose office was housed in the Sealion's outfit. Engaged in this ship owning capacity, the company extended similar services to other owners which encompassed vessels commercial trading, operations, crewing, maintenance and financial control on client's behalf. Along with these, the company also extended its expertise in liner vessel operation, loading and unloading cargoes at Singapore, bunkering and supply of ship provisions. With a sound knowledge in the local maritime regulations, the company was able to arrange ship registration flying the Singapore flag. With its ship registration portfolio the company also prepared and registered maritime mortgages when so required. At that time when Singapore ship registration was a closed registration with unique incentives, this became popular among local and foreign shipowners.

Three years after inauguration, the White Star Line service, unfortunately did not bring about positive financial results. The Australian stevedore conditions in those early years were not encouraging for many shipoperators or owners. Although the voyages both ways were loaded "full and down" cargo handling costs in Australia were excessive and coupled with the bleak prospect of sustaining the liner operations, the shareholders of Sealion took the painful decision to cease operation of the 3 vessels in 1977. The loss of close to 5 million Dutch guilders incurred on the liner operation was indeed depressing especially when the two individual shareholders do not have deep pockets. Fortunately, this failure did not break the company but infused the 2 main founders a greater sense of determination to succeed in other areas of their shipping business. After the demise of White Star Line, the two other foreign corporate partners relinquished their shares in Sealion when their head offices in Europe decided to withdraw their business expansion plans in the Far East. Thereafter Mr. Yeo and Mr. Gourlay held equal equity of the company as Executive Directors. Supporting the new management structure was two of Joseph's capable siblings - Andrew and Johnny Yeo, respectively the General Manager and Sales Manager of the company.

From 1978, Sealion was aggressive in acquiring new liner agencies with a spectacular breakthrough when it secured the general agency representation of United States Lines, a full container service servicing South East Asia ports and ports of North America. As Singapore gradually became an important shipping hub for many other shipowners and operators, the company was successful to build up additional liner agency representations trading to Australia, Middle East and Persian Gulf, Western Europe, Papua New Guinea and West Africa. Business for Sealion had developed impressively albeit a few liner principals had withdrew operation due to financial setbacks incurred by them.

To gain recognition and expand commercial contacts on the international shipping scene, Sealion formed a partnership with a large French Conglomerate, to whom it eventually sold a 49% stake in 1983 to Worms Services Maritimes based in Paris. This new relationship gave Sealion access to the expertise and global facilities of the Worms Group shipping network which aided and strengthened Sealion's contacts with many other European shipowners and operators. In 1982 both Andrew and Johnny Yeo left Sealion to pursue their own business interest in international freight forwarding with the blessing of the Founders.

The economic recession struck Singapore in mid 1984, which dealt a heavy blow on the bottom line and operation of many corporations and firms. Sealion was not spared from the economic troubles. However the company was able to withstand the bleak business outlook unlike several shipping firms who had to wind up. Sealion survival was largely attributable to the leaders' survival instinct, amid much struggle with monetary sacrifice, perseverance and sweat. In August 1985, the older John Gourlay decided to retire to live in Australia. Joseph subsequently acquired the shares from John and with the day to day management vested on his youngest daughter, Anne and her husband, Keith Lee, Joseph travelled extensively out of Singapore in November 1985 to Europe including visits to Algeria to develop business for the agency house. Supported by the Worms management with whom they were partners in Sealion, Joseph Yeo made further business inroads in the European shipping scene. Sealion's business profile soared to greater heights from 1986 which grew in tandem with the gradual restoration of business confidence and a healthier economic outlook in Singapore.

When Worms in 1990, sold its Sealion shares to Navale Et Commercial Peninsulaire, subsidiary of world-renowned French shipping and transport multinational, the Maritime-Delmas-Vieljeux group, Sealion was ready for further expansion with its new partner. In that year the century year old liner service of Chargeurs Reunis from Asia to West Africa was transferred from Anglo French Shipping, a subsidiary of Inchcape Group to Sealion's agency portfolio. This service was later changed to Maritime Delmas Vieljeux. With MDV as partner in the local agency outfit, Sealion benefited further when the MDV group expanded their liner service activities with the launch of the Trans Ocean Indian service, a monthly semi-container service linking Singapore and Port Kelang to Reunion, the Indian Ocean Islands and South African ports.

In November 1994 the corporate name of MDV was change to DELMAS.The shipping group of Delmas eventually came under the control of the SCAC Multimodal Transport Group, a French based international shipping and forwarding company with extensive investments in the Ivory Coast and a market leader in that sector of the industry. Consequentially, Sealion had a new partner to contend with. The new partnership was another positive and fruitful development as both entities shared similar corporate vision and business philosophy in the shipping field. This partnership in Sealion continued till November 1995 when SDV - Scac Delmas Vieljeux of France, a subsidiary of the Bollore Technologies Group (a public listed company in the Paris StockExchange) established the shipping agency of Delmas Shipping in Singapore in line with their global expansion to promote its own house name, known in short as DELMAS. With the exit of the foreign partnership, Sealion since then returned under the control of Mr. Joseph Yeo and his family. Sealion having forged a strong alliance with the SDV shipping group was invited as a minority partner in Delmas Shipping Singapore Pte Ltd. The reorganization of Delmas agency network in the whole of Asia thrust the shipping group into a higher stature on the West African trade as better and more regular sailings were introduced.

It is the trust and commitment to provide quality service that have grown with Sealion's heritage and combined with the resourcefulness, loyalty and foresight of a dynamic management team that have made Sealion today a leading shipping agency company in Singapore. Sealion is poised to meet the challenges ahead in the New Millennium.