The Bantu Wind was a tramp steamer, captained by Simon Katanga, flying under the Egyptian flag. In 1936, Katanga agreed to transport Indiana Jones and Marion Ravenwood — along with their cargo, the Ark of the Covenant, from the docks in Cairo, Egypt across the Mediterranean, in a deal set up by Sallah. As a freight vessel used for piracy, the Bantu Wind did not have much passenger amenities, though curiously it boasted a full wardrobe of women's clothing, including a white nightgown that Marion Ravenwood put on.