The load carrier was unveiled on September 2, 1950, by Mayor Pieter Oud. The statue was located on the facade of the rebuilt warehouse "De Eersteling" on the Rijnhaven, owned by Pakhuismeesteren (which was later acquired by Steinweg). It symbolized the completion of the reconstruction of the tank facility at the Eerste Petroleumhaven, the completion of the Celebes, Borneo, and Sumatra warehouses on Wilhelminakade, and the renovation of "De Eersteling" – all owned by Pakhuismeesteren. A poem written by the oldest partner, H.G.J. de Monchy, was carved into the pedestal:
"What was meaninglessly destroyed
by the cowardly violence,
Is up to deez 'last stone,
restored with god's help. "
As part of the Kop van Zuid renovation project, 'De Eersteeling' was demolished. The load carrier by artist Han Rehm, however, was spared and took place on the Waalhaven ZZ industrial estate next to the Steinweg entrance on Parmentierplein. Several initiatives have called for a return of The load carrier On November 13, 2014, the statue of this dockworker bearing a heavy burden was returned to its former location on the Wilhelmina Pier and unveiled by Mayor Aboutaleb. It is a replica, donated by Steinweg to the Municipality of Rotterdam. The Steinweg logo, known worldwide, depicts this burden-bearer. In September 2025, the statue had to be removed from Van der Vormplein due to the construction of the De Sax residential tower. It is expected to be replaced in 2026 at a new location on the Wilhelmina Pier.
