The Johan van Oldenbarnevelt (named after a Dutch statesman) was put into service in 1930, and operated between the Netherlands and the East Indies, until she was converted to a troop ship in World War II.

After the war she returned to her previous service. This included transporting many migrants to Australia, including to Fremantle, Western Australia.

In 1959 a refit saw her put into world service. She was sold in 1963 and renamed the Lakonia. That same year, in December, she caught fire off Madeira, and was abandoned. There was loss of 90 passengers and 31 crew. While being towed off Gibraltar she capsized and sank.