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Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry

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The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Co. Ltd.
Company typesubsidiary
IndustryTransport
Founded1897; 127 years ago (1897)
HeadquartersTsing Yi, Hong Kong
Key people
Colin Lam Ko Yin, Chairman
Dr David Ho, General Manager
ProductsFerry, Property
Number of employees
400[citation needed] ([when?])
ParentHong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited (Henderson Land Development's associate company)
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese香港油蔴地小輪有限公司
Simplified Chinese香港油麻地小轮有限公司
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinXiānggǎng Yóumádì Xiǎolún Yǒuxiàngōngsī
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationHēung góng yàuh màh deih síu lèuhn yáuh haahn gūng sī
JyutpingHoeng1 gong2 jau4 maa4 dei6 siu2 leon4 jau5 haan6 gung1 si1
Yaumati Ferry
Traditional Chinese油蔴地小輪
Simplified Chinese油麻地小轮
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinYóumádì Xiǎolún
Yue: Cantonese
Yale RomanizationYàuh màh deih síu lèuhn
JyutpingJau4 maa4 dei6 siu2 leon4
Websitewww.hkf.com/en/ferry.html

The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited (HYF), is a ferry company founded in 1897 in Hong Kong. It is commonly known as Yaumati Ferry. After restructuring the company in 1989, it became a subsidiary of Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited (香港小輪(集團)有限公司).

Its head office is in the northern Tsing Yi.[1]

History

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The original company was founded by a Chinese business man named Lau Tak Po in 1897 during the Colonial Hong Kong era. At the time he purchased 5 wooden boats and provided services exclusively to Kowloon under the company name "Yaumati Ferry".[2] Yaumati is the alternative transliteration of Yau Ma Tei.

Until the Ferries Ordinance of 1917, there was no regulation set by the government as to who can run a ferry service. After the Ordinance was enacted, no one can operate a ferry service without securing a license from the government through public tender.[3][Notes 1] The first companies who obtained the license during 1919-1921 operated poorly, hence in April 1923, the government issued a call in the Gazette for a tender to operate the Yaumati ferry service. Lau Tak Po then started to recruit other Chinese Merchants to compete for the ferry license. Eventually, Lau Tak Po together with 13 other merchants secured the license in July 1923, and established "the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited" with Lau Tak Po and Lau King Cho as the managing directors on 5 November 1923.[4][5]

Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry obtained the franchise license for the rights to the transportation route, blocking off competition from Star Ferry company. As a result, the Yaumati Ferry company became the largest Chinese-owned company in the world at that point in time, profiting from the transportation demand of Kowloon expansion.[citation needed]

On 1 January 1924, Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry commenced its ferry service. The routes included were: Victoria City/Yaumati; Victoria City/Mong Kok Tsui; Victoria City/Sham Shui Po. A fleet of 12 small Wooden hulled vessels were used.[6] Due to warnings from the government as to the low quality of the vessels, the old fleet was eventually replaced by newly built wooden and steel ferries during the 1920s.[7]

Subsequently, the Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry expanded its services to include the vehicular ferry service in 1933.[8] The service transported motor vehicles across Victoria Harbour for many years (from 1933 to 1998) prior to the opening of the Cross-Harbour Tunnel, Eastern Harbour Tunnel and Western Harbour Tunnel in 1972, 1989 and 1997. The company decided to give up the ferry licenses in 1999, and these licenses were transferred to the New World First Ferry on 15 January 2000.

Ownership and control

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According to official documents, Henderson Investment Ltd. is the largest shareholder of Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry's parent company Hong Kong Ferry. Henderson beneficially owning 31.33% of the share capital of the company as at 31 December 2005. Henderson chairman Dr. Lee Shau Kee and Vice Chairman Colin Lam are[when?] also Directors of the company.

End of ferry service

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Although it gave up its franchised ferry licences in 2000, the company retained the Dangerous Goods Vehicular Ferry Service routes between North Point, Kwun Tong, and Mui Wo, as these vehicles are not allowed to go through any one of the three cross harbour tunnels, while Mui Wo is situated on Lantau Island.

Fleet

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HY Ferry Fleet
Name Type Seats Builder Year Built Notes
Man Ying (1st Gen.) Wooden single ended passenger ferry 434 Kwong Tak Cheong Shipyard 1924 Changed to diesel engine in 1947, retired 1957.
Man Lai

(1st Gen.)

Double ended passenger ferry 412 Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. 1925 Changed to diesel engine in 1949, retired in 1966.
Man Yee

(1st Gen.)

Double ended passenger ferry 412 Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. 1925 Changed to diesel engine in 1949, retired in 1969.
Man Chung

(1st Gen.)

Double ended passenger ferry 412 Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. 1925 Changed to diesel engine in 1948, retired in 1969.
Man Shun

(1st Gen.)

Double ended passenger ferry 412 Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. 1925 Changed to diesel engine in 1949, retired in 1963.
Man Kung

(1st Gen.)

Double deck car ferry 800 people, 22 cars Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. commissioned 1928, finished 1933 Rebuilt in 1948, retired in 1973.
Man Kim (1st Gen.) Double deck car ferry 368 people, 48 cars Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. commissioned 1928, finished 1933 Rebuilt in 1947, and 1971, retired in 1974.
Man Yeung

(1st Gen.)

Double deck car ferry 800 people, 22 cars Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. commissioned 1928, finished 1933 Retired in 1973.
Man Gock

(1st Gen.)

Double deck car Ferry Hong Kong and Whampoa Dock Co., Ltd. commissioned 1928, finished 1933 Sunk at West River (西江) during WWII
Man On Double deck car ferry Hong Kong Shipyard 1981
Man Lok Double deck car ferry Hong Kong Shipyard 1982 Converted to nightclub on upper deck
Man Foo Double deck car ferry Hong Kong Shipyard 1982 Converted to nightclub on upper deck
Man Kim Double deck car ferry 1982 Converted to nightclub on upper deck
Man Kai Double deck car ferry Hong Kong Shipyard 1986
Man Keung Tugboat
Man Lai Double deck ferry 364 Hong Kong Shipyard 1970 retired
Man Wo Double deck ferry 532 Hong Kong Shipyard 1980 retired
Man Hei Double deck ferry 436 Choey Lee Shipyard 1981 retired
Xin Fa Triple deck ferry 1298 Hong Kong Shipyard 1981 ex-Man Fat; sold to NWFF
Xin Ying Double deck ferry 673 - now 604 Hong Kong Shipyard 1982 ex-Man Ying; sold to NWFF
Xin Zhong Double deck ferry 676 Hong Kong Shipyard 1982 ex-Man Chung; sold to NWFF
Xin Xing Triple deck ferry 1298 Hong Kong Shipyard 1981 ex-Man Hing; sold to NWFF
Man Heen Double deck ferry 671 - now 650 Hong Kong Shipyard 1982
Xin Jie Double deck ferry 671 - now 666 Hong Kong Shipyard 1983 ex-Man Kit; sold to NWFF
Xin Chao Triple deck ferry 1728 Hong Kong Shipyard 1983 ex-Man Chiu; sold to NWFF
Xin Guang Triple deck ferry 1505 Hong Kong Shipyard 1985 ex-Man Kwong; sold to NWFF
Xin Fei Triple deck ferry 1582 Hong Kong Shipyard 1986 ex-Man Fee; sold to NWFF
Xin Guo Triple deck ferry 1582 Hong Kong Shipyard 1988 ex-Man Kwok; sold to NWFF
HKF I Waterjet Catamaran 433 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard 1993
HKF III Type: Waterjet Catamaran 433 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard 1994
Aquan One Double hull Catamaran 208 Afai Shipyard 1997
Aquan Two Double hull Catamaran 230 Afai Shipyard 1999

Notes

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  1. ^ Except for Star Ferry, who obtained a different license under a ordinance passed in 1902.

References

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  1. ^ "Contact Us". Hong Kong Ferry. Retrieved 2020-12-18. The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited 98 Tam Kon Shan Road, TYTL 102, Ngau Kok Wan, North Tsing Yi, New Territories, Hong Kong
  2. ^ Wiltshire, Trea. [First published 1987] (republished & reduced2003). Old Hong Kong - Volume One. Central, Hong Kong: Text Form Asia books Ltd. Page 71. ISBN Volume One 962-7283-59-2
  3. ^ Sham, Wai-chi Eddie. "Chapter 4.2: Growth of the share in international trade and the development of the port". Marine Department.
  4. ^ Sham, W. C. (2007). The history of Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company limited, 1923 to the 1970s (Thesis). pp. 46–50.
  5. ^ Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited, The Hongkong & Yaumati Ferry Co.Ltd.: Golden Jubilee, 1923-1973, 6, 13.
  6. ^ Sham, W. C. (2007). The history of Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company limited, 1923 to the 1970s (Thesis). pp. 51–52.
  7. ^ Sham, W. C. (2007). The history of Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company limited, 1923 to the 1970s (Thesis). pp. 51–53.
  8. ^ Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited, The Hongkong & Yaumati Ferry Co.Ltd.: Golden Jubilee, 1923-1973, 6, 13.
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