Star Ferry


The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry service operator and tourist attraction in Hong Kong. Its principal routes carry passengers across Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island, and Kowloon. The service is operated by the Star Ferry Company, which was founded in 1888 as the Kowloon Ferry Company, and adopted its present name in 1898.
With a fleet of twelve ferries, the company operates two routes across the harbour, carrying over 70,000 passengers per day, or 26 million per year. Even though the harbour is crossed by railway and road tunnels, the Star Ferry continues to provide an inexpensive mode of harbour crossing. The company's main route runs between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui.
It has been rated first in the "Top 10 Most Exciting Ferry Rides" poll by the Society of American Travel Writers in February 2009.

History

Before the steam ferry service was first established, people would cross the harbour in sampans. In 1870, a man named Grant Smith brought a twin-screw wooden-hulled boat from England and started running it across the harbour at irregular intervals.
In July 1873, an attempt was made to run steam ferries between Hong Kong and Kowloon. This was stopped at the request of the British consul in Canton, who feared it would enable visits to gambling houses in Kowloon. It is thought that a service to the public was established in the mid-to-late 1870s, after the cession of Kowloon to the British in 1860.
The company was founded by Parsee merchant Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala as the "Kowloon Ferry Company" in 1888. Naorojee bought Smith's boat, and later acquired the steam vessels Morning Star and Evening Star from a Mr Buxoo. The popularity of this means of transport enabled him to increase his fleet to four vessels within 10 years: the Morning Star, Evening Star, Rising Star and Guiding Star. Each boat had a capacity of 100 passengers, and the boats averaged 147 crossings each day. He incorporated the business into the "Star Ferry Co Ltd" in 1898, prior to his retirement to India. The company name was inspired by his love of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "Crossing the Bar", of which the first line reads "Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me!".
At the time regular service was initiated, ships were moored by having a sailor on the vessel toss the rope to another on the pier, who would then catch it with a long billhook. This is still done today.
On his retirement in 1898, Naorojee sold the company to The Hongkong and Kowloon Wharf and Godown Company Limited, at that time owned by Jardine, Matheson & Co. and Sir Paul Chater.
A pier constructed on the western end of Salisbury Road opened in 1906, it was a fine massive structure at that time and it also had a separate compartment for the first and second class. However, it was destroyed by a typhoon in September 1906.
In the early 1950s, construction of the present twin-piered terminal commenced on both sides of Victoria Harbour, designed to handle 55 million passenger trips a year. The structure was completed in 1957, concurrent with the Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier built on the island side.
At the turn of the century, Hong Kong currency and Canton currency were both accepted as legal tender in Hong Kong. In the autumn of 1912, following a devaluation, the Star Ferry caused a controversy by insisting, together with the tramways, that payment had to be made in Hong Kong currency only. Canton coinage would no longer be accepted.
In 1924 the Yaumati Ferry operated the route to Kowloon in a duopoly. In 1933 the Star Ferry made history by building the Electric Star, the first diesel electric passenger ferry of its kind.
By 1941, the company had six vessels. During the Japanese Occupation of Hong Kong, the competing Yaumati Ferry was allowed to continue, while the Japanese commandeered the Star Ferry for their own purposes. The Golden Star and the Meridian Star were used to transport prisoners of war from Sham Shui Po to Kai Tak Airport. In 1943, the Golden Star was bombed and sunk in the Canton River by the Americans, and the Electric Star was sunk in the harbour. After the war, the ferries were recovered and returned to service.
The Star Ferry accepted the request by the government of operating the Hung Hom route in 1963, it almost failed to operate as the company thinks it cannot make profit from it. But with the reconsideration by the Star Ferry, the route were confirmed to be started operating starting from March 1965.
Until the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972, the Star Ferry remained the main means of public transportation between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon side.
The Star Ferry operates on a franchise from the Government, which was last renewed in March 2018.

Public protests

In 1966, a fare increase of 5 cents of the ferry was a political milestone, as it caused a 27-year-old student to go on hunger strike in protest at the Edinburgh Place terminal. His arrest sparked the 1966 Hong Kong Riots.
On 11 November 2006, the end of an era was marked when the third generation pier in Central, the Edinburgh Place Ferry Pier, ended its mission, along with the big clock tower. The pier was destroyed to make way for reclamation, amidst great controversy and peaceful but reasonable protests.

Services

Existing

The Star Ferry operates the following cross-harbour routes :
Passengers may use Octopus or tokens to pay for the ride. Tokens are available in the vending machines at the piers. Direct payment by coins at turnstile is no longer accepted.
The Tsim Sha Tsui – Central route does not accept cycles, but the Tsim Sha Tsui – Wan Chai route accepts cycles for an extra charge of $14, except during the evening peak hour from Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui.
Star Ferry has announced plans to provide sightseeing service between Tsim Sha Tsui and Disneyland Resort Pier, which has been empty since its opening. This route consists of two departures and the round trip fare is $180. Passengers can enjoy views of Tsing Ma Bridge during the 45-minute journey on the luxury ferry World Star.

Former

The Star Ferry "Golden Star' is available for daily charter, for up to 300 people, having been refurbished for cruises and functions, with tables, larger sightseeing windows, an air-conditioned area, and a public address and music system.

Fleet

There are currently 9 diesel-electric ferries in the fleet, together with a tug.
Over the years, the fleet has included:
NameIMORegYear
Built		Builder Seats Notes Image
Image
Morning Star
1871English-built steamboatapp 100The first "Star" Ferry, served from 1871 to 1898
Evening Star
1888English-built steamboat100The second "Star" Ferry, served from 1888 to 1902
Rising Star
1890100Served from 1890 to 1902
Guiding Star
1896100Served from 1896 to 1904
Morning Star
Served from 1898 to 1903
Northern Star
1900Served from 1900 to 1959
Southern Starc. 1900
Polar Star
1901Served from 1901 to 1927
Morning Star
Served from 1904 to 1928
Electric Star
1933Served from 1933 to 1968, sunk in 1943 and converted to diesel boat in 1948
Golden Star
1928Served from 1928 to 1968, sunk in 1943 and converted to diesel boat in 1953
Celestial Star
8951360A20711956–2011Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576Currently the oldest vessel in service
Radiant Star
1956–1971Likely Hong Kong & Whampoa DockFeatured in the film The World of Suzie Wong
Meridian Star
5232725A26711958Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576Modified in 2012 as back-up vessel for Star Ferry Harbour Tour; subsequently re-modified to ordinary ferry standard in 2013
Solar Star
5333335A26811958Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576
Northern Star
8951372A29711959Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576
Night Star
8891091A31361963Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576Named for original Kowloon Ferry Company's Night Star
Day Star
8891120A40411964Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576
Shining Star
8891118A38411964Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576Now used for the Star Ferry Harbour Tour ; reproduction of 3rd generation ferries c. 1920s
Twinkling Star
8891132A29611964Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576
Morning Star
8891144A28011965Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576Named for original Kowloon Ferry Company's Morning Star
Silver Star
8891156A42411965Hong Kong & Whampoa Dock576
Golden Star
8951384A51531989–2011Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding Ltd762
World Star
8890968A52431989–2011Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding Ltd762
Glowing Star
Hong Kong Shipyard288ex-British Army vessel rented by Star Ferry between 2001 and 2005
KowloonTugboat
Pacific Princess86245271971Bought from Australia as Temeraire II, and in fleet from 1988 to 1994 as Lady Star ; subsequently modified to corporate yacht of Kowloon Wharf Group

Piers

Since the Central Star Ferry Pier was moved from its old pier next to City Hall to the new location outside International Finance Centre, passenger numbers have fallen drastically to mainly tourists and a small number of commuters. This has meant the Star Ferry company has lost many millions of dollars since the relocation. Therefore, it decided not to re-tender for the loss-making Hung Hom-Central and Hung Hom-Wan Chai routes and stopped operating these routes and the relevant piers at Hung Hom Ferry Pier on 31 March 2011.

Filmography

The Star Ferry appears in the 1960 film The World of Suzie Wong. In the beginning of the film, Robert Lomax disembarks from the SS President Wilson and takes the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, and on the ferry meets Suzie Wong, who scorns his attentions.
Several brief scenes in the 1988 TV miniseries Noble House are set aboard the ferry. It also appears in the French films Les Anges gardiens and La Moustache.