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).
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.
In 1924, 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]
The company later became "Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry". This included the vehicular ferry which served to transport motor vehicles across Victoria Harbour for many years (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
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
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
HY Ferry Fleet
Name
Type
Seats
Builder
Year Built
Notes
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
Built Choey Lee Shipyard
1981
retired
Xin Zhong
Double deck ferry
676
Hong Kong Shipyard
1982
ex-Man Chung; sold to NWFF
Xin Ying
Double deck ferry
673 - now 604
Hong Kong Shipyard
1982
ex-Man Ying; 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 Xing
Triple deck ferry
1298
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1981
ex-Man Hing; sold to NWFF
Xin Fa
Triple deck ferry
1298
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1981
ex-Man Fat; sold to NWFF
Xin Chao
Triple deck ferry
1728
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1983
ex-Man Chiu; sold to NWFF
Xin Guang
Triple deck ferry
1505
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1985
ex-Man Kwong; sold to NWFF
Xin Fei
Triple deck ferry
1582
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1986
ex-Man Fee; sold to NWFF
Xin Guo
Triple deck ferry
1582
Constructed by Hong Kong Shipyard
1988
ex-Man Kwok; sold to NWFF
Aquan One
Double hull Catamaran
208
Constructed by Afai Shipyard
1997
Aquan Two
Double hull Catamaran
230
Constructed by Afai Shipyard
1999
HKF I
Waterjet Catamaran
433
Constructed by Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard
1993
HKF III
Type: Waterjet Catamaran
433
Constructed by Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard
1994
References
^"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
^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