In 1953, the first purpose-built fish processing vessel, or factory ship, was launched, allowing fish to be caught, processed, and frozen at sea. This vessel marked a revolution in the fishing industry, enabling fishing fleets to operate far from shore and process their catch immediately. Factory ships dramatically increased the efficiency and capacity of commercial fishing, but also contributed to overfishing. The technology spread rapidly, leading to the development of large-scale industrial fishing operations worldwide.

Factory ships have been the subject of contemporary maritime poetry and literature, with writers like Sebastian Junger and Linda Greenlaw exploring their impact on the lives of fishermen. The ships also appear in ecocritical poetry, which examines the environmental consequences of industrial fishing. The factory ship has become a symbol of the industrialization of the sea.