Muthana Koraish, AB (Sailors’ Union of the Pacific)
Muthana Koraish, Able-Bodied Seaman. Member of the Sailors’ Union of the Pacific. SUP hiring hall, Wilmington, California. 11 March, 2026
“I think I'll keep sailing three, four years more. I try to, you know, but the time is soon. But I can’t stop now, we got a lot of disbursements. We got family, we got kids.”
My name is Muthana Koraish and I sail as Able-Bodied Seaman.
I work the whole ship. I mean the deck and the wheel house, all over the place. I’ve been sailing more than 30 years.
I start 1994 because I see my father-in-law, he was in the sea. Then he recommend me to go to the sea, at time in the cruise ship in Hawaii. So then I start, do all the work time in Hawaii, all the departments: engine, deck, and steward.
Then later on, after two years, three years, I figured out I like to go to the deck, you know. They get more opportunity, more cool weather, more experience. I mean, you need more experience.
..
I sailedall over the place. I would take the “fly-out” [Flying out to join the ship wherever it may be. The ships stay overseas and don't return to the Stares, and are often military charters or commercial "shuttle" ships in the Far East or elsewhere. Captain Don Marcus, retired president of the MM&P], from San Francisco always, we go all over the place. My favorite was when I was (in) Singapore and Hawaii. That (was) long time ago. I was young. You know. Guam too was nice.
We didn't go to some places good. Like, you know I didn't go to the Philippine - only onetime, and I didn't go out. I was a supervisor there. I worked in the ammunition military ship, so I didn't go out. I was busy.
It's the best place in Singapore. It’s my favorite. And Hawaii because (they’re) more clean. They got nice food, cheap food, all kind of food. All the taxi cheap. Everything nice - whatever you need, is there.
Since 9/11 we didn't get much time on shore. Before we have two days in berth, three days and a half. Now we'll be eight hours, six hour in a berth. Sometime you can’t go out. Mostly a lot of berths now you can’t go out.
..
Well I absolutely like (being at sea). I was 19 years straight Hawaii, Oakland, LA, Tacoma. Nineteen years, container ship.
Now I was a sailor like 30 years. I transfer to this union, Sailors’ Union of the Pacific (SUP). So mostly they go to Far East. Back and forth to the U.S. I'm so happy about this union (SUP) because you get more benefit. You know, more benefit, and different. The union, they protect you, they help you, and they work for you. It’s a good union.
..
Typical day, you know, scrub, mostly clean the bed, lifting, washing, fix line - I mean maintenance.
The most important (job) I say, save the ship. Like if you got some bunker - you see oil - you have to stop it right away.
Or you see fire, you have to let them know, and you start doing something. It's the main thing, safety. If you see something, you have to stop, stop the guy. And winches, wire, or line. Or anything, you know. This [ship safety] is the main thing.
Most important is the engine room and the deck. Sometimes they got oil coming up from the engine to the deck. Or you do some charge, or load, or something, from the deck to the engine room. And that deck is more important if you tie the ship. You have to call the officer, the officer call to the engine. I mean they can't move the ship. You can't move it because you don't want the line to get break, or somebody get hurt.
..
I think I'll keep sailing three, four years more. I try to, you know, but the time is soon. But I can’t stop now, we got a lot of disbursements, you know. We got family, we got kids.
..
So, I'm happy you know, happy about USA. I love her. She good place, good country. She take care everybody. They fair. This country good if you work. You make money, you live good life. If you no working, you gonna be homeless.
God bless America. God bless everything. This country, you can do anything. If you do good, you do good. You do bad, you're gone. It's their way. This is what I love in the USA. We learn a lot from this country.
..
Muthana Koraish, AB
…
Photo: Robert Gumpert
Transcription: Michele Colyer