Built as a whale factory ship by the yard of Dok en Werfmaatschappij Wilton Fijenoord N.V. at Schiedam, Netherlands for the Nederlandsche Maatschappij voor de Walvischvaart at Amsterdam.
Nov. 1953 contract was signed to build her.
02 Nov. 1953 keel laid down by Mr. G.F.Warnderink.
20 Nov 1954 launched under the name WILLEM BARENDSZ (II), named after the Dutch explorer Willem Barendsz, she was christened by the wife of the Dutch Minister of Fishery, Mrs. Mansholt.
Tonnage 26.830 gross, 15.900 net, 26.570 dwt., dim. 677 x 90 x 67ft.
Powered by two 6 cyl. WF/MAN diesel engines, each 5.250 hp.
Trial speed 15.5 knots, service speed 14 knots.
The factory installation did have 8 oil fired Scottish boilers and 19 cooking boilers to extract the whaleoil.
Crew around 500.
At that time she was the largest whale factory vessel of the world, and the largest Dutch merchant vessel.
She sailed for her first whaling voyage on 18 Oct. 1955 from Amsterdam and via Curaçao for bunkers, then to Capetown.
22 Nov. 1955 sailed from Capetown for the Antarctic with 18 whale catchers.
During that season 1.665 whales were shot, and processed by her.
14 April 1956 returned at Amsterdam.
14 Nov. 1956 sailed from Amsterdam, returned 02 May 1957, that season processing 1.434 whales, shot by her 14 whale catchers. After this voyage the fishmeal capacity was extended.
02 Nov. 1957 sailed from Amsterdam, and returned 19 April 1958, processing 1.867 whales, shot by her 14 whale catchers. Fishmeal capacity again extended.
Sailed 24 Oct. 1958, returned 22 April 1959 at Amsterdam. Processing 2.219 whales, shot by her 12 whale catchers that season.
Sailed 07 Nov. 1959 and returned Amsterdam 11 May 1960. Processing 2.081 whales, shot that season by her 13 whale catchers. Her freezing capacity extended to 2.500 tons after this season.
Sailed 19 Oct. 1960 from Amsterdam, returned 08 May 1961, processing 2.211 whales, shot by her 14 whale catchers.
Sailed 24 Oct. 1961, returned 14 May 1962, processing 1.628 whales, 15 whale catchers accompanied her that season.
Sailed 17 Oct. 1962 from Amsterdam, returned 10 May 1963, processing 1.330 whales, 11 whale catchers.
16 Oct. 1963 sailed Amsterdam, returned 10 May 1964, processing 1.182 whales, 11 whale catchers.
In all this seasons the catchers stayed behind in Capetown for maintaining and dry-docking between the whaling seasons, then laid up until the next season
The catching of whales declined very much and the company decided to withdraw from whaling, the Willem Barendsz with her whale quota of the season 1964/65 was sold to a Japanese whaling company.
17 July 1965 delivered, and the same day without whale quota bought back by the Nederlandsche Maatschappij voor de Walvisvaart.
27 Oct. 1965 transferred to the Willem Barendsz (Pyt) Ltd., a South African company in which the N.M.W. was a shareholder. She was used for some years as a fish factory vessel on the South African west coast with mostly Dutch officers and a native South African crew.
1973 Sold to Korean Wonyang Fisheries Cy.Ltd. for USA $ 5.750.000, renamed in YU SHIN (reformer).
Rebuilt in a fishfactory vessel at Pusan, and after completion used in the waters around Alaska.
1987 Renamed by owners in GAE CHEOG (pioneer).
1983 Laid up near Koji Island, Korea.
1986 After the owners closed a joint-venture with the American company Sea Alaska Products for two year with an option for an other year, a new company was founded, the Alaska Surimi Products Inc (ASPI) at Seattle.
The GAE CHEOG was complete refitted for USA $30 million by the Daewood Shipbuilding at Okpo, Korea to produce fish in surimi. (surimi = some kind of minced fish). The new factory installation cost USA $16 million. Could produce 140 ton surimi in 24 hours.
Also two new generators were installed for USA $7 million.
After her refit she was renamed in OCEAN PIONEER, and sailed out on 18 Oct. 1986 from Okpo for the waters around Dutch Harbour, Aleutian Island.
1996 Renamed by owners in GAE CHEOG.
2001 Sold to Chinese shipbreakers and arrived 01 June 2001 at Xinhui.
On Netherlands 1957 7c + 5c sg 845, scott B308.
Source Blauwe Wimpel. Some Dutch books lost the titels. Marine News 2002/114