Lower deck of a Star Ferry in the morning

Old Star Ferry Pier in Central, Hong Kong.

Star Ferry Pier in Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon.

The pier in Tsim Sha Tsui at night, with the 2 ifc and 1 ifc in the background

Meridian Star (午星號) of Hong Kong Star Ferry

Golden Star (金星號) of Hong Kong Star Ferry

Two piers in Tsim Sha Tsui at night

Pier 7 in Central, one of two newer piers which replaced the old Central piers.

The 4th (up) and 3rd generation (down) of the Central pier.

The Star Ferry is a passenger ferry service operator in Hong Kong, China. Its principal routes carry passengers across the Victoria Harbour, between Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. The company has been operating since the late 1880s. It was founded by Parsee Dorabjee Nowrojee as the Kowloon Ferry Company in 1888 and renamed it to Star Ferry in 1898. The name was inspired by his love of Alfred Lord Tennyson's poem "Crossing the Bar", whose first line was Sunset and evening star, and one clear call for me! Traditional Chinese characters are one of two standard character sets. ... Standard Mandarin is the official Chinese spoken language used by the Peoples Republic of China, the Republic of China (Taiwan) and Singapore. ... Pinyin is a system of romanization (phonemic notation and transcription to Roman script) for Standard Mandarin, where pin means spell and yin means sound. The most common variant of pinyin in use is called Hanyu Pinyin (Simplified Chinese: , Traditional Chinese: ; pinyin: Hànyǔ Pīnyīn), also known as scheme... Standard Cantonese is a variant, and is generally considered the prestige dialect of Cantonese Chinese. ... For information on how to read IPA transcriptions of English words see here. ... Jyutping (Traditional Chinese: 粵拼; Simplified Chinese: 粤拼; pinyin: yuèpīn; Yale: yuhtpīng; Jyutping: jyut6ping3; sometimes spelled Jyutpin) is a romanization system for Standard Cantonese developed by the Linguistic Society of Hong Kong (LSHK) in 1993. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1690 KB) Summary Lower deck of a Star Ferry, Hong Kong Photograph by en:User:HenryLi Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Star Ferry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1690 KB) Summary Lower deck of a Star Ferry, Hong Kong Photograph by en:User:HenryLi Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Star Ferry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera... Image:Star Ferry Pier in Central, Hong Kong. ... Image:Star Ferry Pier in Central, Hong Kong. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1659 KB) Summary The Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui Photograph en:User:HenryLi Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Star Ferry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high resolution version (2560x1920, 1659 KB) Summary The Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui Photograph en:User:HenryLi Licensing File links The following pages link to this file: Star Ferry Metadata This file contains additional information, probably added from the digital camera or scanner... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... Kowloon (including New Kowloon) is an area bounded north by a mountain range. ... Image File history File links StarFerry-TST.png Summary The photograph features the facinating night view of the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong in two layers, with Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula in the foreground, the Central, Hong Kong Island (the opposite side of the harbour) in the background. ... Image File history File links StarFerry-TST.png Summary The photograph features the facinating night view of the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong in two layers, with Tsim Sha Tsui, Kowloon Peninsula in the foreground, the Central, Hong Kong Island (the opposite side of the harbour) in the background. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... Two IFC International Finance Centre (IFC) is an integrated commercial development on the waterfront of Hong Kongs Central District. ... Two IFC International Finance Centre (IFC) is an integrated commercial development on the waterfront of Hong Kongs Central District. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 317 KB)Star Ferry of Hong Kong. ... Download high resolution version (1280x960, 317 KB)Star Ferry of Hong Kong. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hong_Kong_Star_Ferry. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Hong_Kong_Star_Ferry. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 351 KB) Victoria harbor night viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 351 KB) Victoria harbor night viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 234 KB) This is the new Pier 7 (one of two, the other is number 6) which will be replacing the older two piers. ... Image File history File linksMetadata Download high-resolution version (1280x960, 234 KB) This is the new Pier 7 (one of two, the other is number 6) which will be replacing the older two piers. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x554, 87 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1024x554, 87 KB) I, the creator of this work, hereby release it into the public domain. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The Pride of Rotterdam, One of the P&O Ferriess Flagships operating the Hull-Rotterdam Route A ferry is a boat or a ship carrying passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, on scheduled services. ... Victoria Harbour The night view of the Victoria Harbour with the skyscrapers in Central behind, viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui Victoria Harbour (Traditional Chinese: 維多利亞港; Simplified Chinese: 维多利亚港; Cantonese Jyutping: wai4 do1 lei6 aa3 gong2; Mandarin Pinyin: Wéiduōlìyà Gǎng) is the harbour between the Kowloon Peninsula and the... The night view of the Island side as seen from the Kowloon side - the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Hong Kong Island (Traditional Chinese: 香港島; Simplified Chinese: 香港岛; Cantonese Jyutping: hoeng1 gong2 dou2; Mandarin Pinyin: Xiānggǎngdǎo) is the island where the colonial settlement of the Hong Kong territory... Kowloon (including New Kowloon) is an area bounded north by a mountain range. ... a person from Pars (the middle-Persian word for Fars), a region now within the geographical boundaries of Iran, and is roughly the original homeland of the Persian people. ... Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala was a Indian Parsee businessman in Hong Kong. ... Lord Tennyson, Poet Laureate Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson (August 6, 1809 - October 6, 1892) is generally regarded as one of the greatest English poets. ...

The fleet of twelve ferries operates four routes across the harbour, carrying over 70,000 passengers a day, or 26 million a year. Even though there are now other ways to cross the harbour (by MTR and road tunnels), the Star Ferry continues to provide an efficient, popular and inexpensive mode of crossing the harbour. The company's main route runs between Central and Tsim Sha Tsui, which is what most people mean by "the Star Ferry" in common parlance. This route is also popular with tourists, and has become one of the icons of Hong Kong heritage in the eyes of tourists. From the ferry, one can take in the famous view of the harbour and the Hong Kong skyline. The Pride of Rotterdam, One of the P&O Ferriess Flagships operating the Hull-Rotterdam Route A ferry is a boat or a ship carrying passengers, and sometimes their vehicles, on scheduled services. ... This article is about the metro system in Hong Kong. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ...

Cross-harbour routes and fares

• Central to Tsim Sha Tsui (orange): HK$1.7 for the lower deck, HK$2.2 for the upper deck
• Wan Chai to Tsim Sha Tsui: HK$2.2
• Central to Hung Hom (green): HK$5.3
• Wan Chai to Hung Hom (purple): HK$5.3

The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... ... Hung Hom Kung Yum Temple Hung Hom (紅磡) is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District. ...

History

• In 1966, a fare increase of 10 cents of the ferry sparked the 1966 Hong Kong Riots.
• Until the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972, the Star Ferry was the main means of public transportation between Hong Kong Island and the Kowloon side.
• In 2003, the Star Ferry began a tourist cruise, making an indirect, circular route to all the stops.

The Star Ferry makes a "star turn" in the 1950s film The World of Suzie Wong. In the beginning of the film, Robert Lomax (played by William Holden) debarks from the USS President Harrison (an old American President Line transpacific passenger vessel) and takes the Star Ferry to Hong Kong Island, and on the ferry meets Suzie Wong (played by Nancy Kwan), who scorns his attentions as unwanted. 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... The Hong Kong 1966 Riots were a series of disturbances that took place over three nights on the streets of Kowloon, Hong Kong in the spring of 1966. ... The area around the entrance of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in the 1970s. ... 1972 (MCMLXXII) was a leap year starting on Saturday. ... 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The World of Suzie Wong is a 1957 novel written by Richard Mason, which has since been adapted into both a play and a film. ... William Holden William Holden (1918-1981), was an Oscar winning American film actor. ... Nancy Kwan on the cover of Life Magazine 1960 Nancy Kwan (born May 19, 1939 in Hong Kong) (pinyin: Guān Jiāqiàn, Cantonese: Kwan Ka Shin, Chinese: 關家蒨) is a Eurasian actress. ...

The ferry itself is completely recognizable, and the layout of the pier where William Holden debarks in Kowloon is familiar to the resident or denizen of Tsim Sha Tsui, but missing are the giant shopping malls of today.

On November 11, 2006, the Star Ferry Pier in Central ended its mission along with the big clock tower (see below). The pier will be demolished to make way for reclamation.

Fleet

There are currently 8 ships in the Star fleet with average age of the fleet at 44 years:

• Morning Star (曉星號), built in 1965 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576 ; named for original Kowloon Ferry Company's Morning Star (1888)
• Day Star (晨星號), built in 1964 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Night Star (夜星號), built in 1963 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard and named for original Kowloon Ferry Company's Night Star - seats 576
• Electric Star (電星號), built in 1933 and now retired.
• Golden Star (金星號), built in 1989 by Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding Ltd - 762 seats
• World Star (世星號), built in 1989 by Wang Tak Engineering & Shipbuilding Ltd - 762 seats
• Celestial Star (天星號), built in 1956 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard and currently the oldest Star Ferry in service - seats 576
• Twinkling Star (熒星號), built in 1964 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Silver Star (銀星號), built in 1965 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Glowing Star (耀星號), built by Hong Kong Shipyard as British Army vessel delivered to Star Ferry in 2001 and its rental was ceased in 2005 seats 288
• Northern Star (北星號), built in 1959 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Meridian Star (午星號), built in 1958 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Solar Star (日星號), built in 1958 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard - seats 576
• Shining Star (輝星號), built in 1964 by Hong Kong & Whampoa Shipyard and now used for the Star Ferry Harbour Tour (top sections were opened up) - seats 576
• Kowloon - tug boat

1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1933 (MCMXXXIII) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will take you to calendar). ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1989 (MCMLXXXIX) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1956 (MCMLVI) was a leap year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ... 1965 (MCMLXV) was a common year starting on Friday (the link is to a full 1965 calendar). ... The British Army is the land armed forces branch of the British Armed Forces. ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1959 (MCMLIX) was a common year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1958 (MCMLVIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... 1964 (MCMLXIV) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (the link is to a full 1964 calendar). ...

Piers

• Hung Hom
• Star Ferry Pier (1957) at Tsim Sha Tsui
• Star Ferry Pier at Central - replaced in November 2006
• New Star Ferry Pier - 600 square meters terminal with 11 shops, including 7-Eleven, Starbucks Coffee and Maxim's Cakes
• Original Star Ferry Pier (1898) at Pedder Street, now present site of Jardine House
• Wan Chai Pier at Wan Chai

Hung Hom Kung Yum Temple Hung Hom (紅磡) is an area of Kowloon, in Hong Kong, administratively part of the Kowloon City District. ... Star Ferry Pier, Tsim Sha Tsui Tsim Sha Tsui Ferry Pier (尖沙嘴碼頭) is a pier located at the tip of Tsim Sha Tsui on Kowloon Peninsula, Hong Kong. ... The Clock Tower in Tsim Sha Tsui is a famous landmark of Hong Kong. ... Star Ferry Pier at Central “Star Ferry” Pier is pier near Edinburgh Place in the Central, Hong Kong, on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... The Wan Chai Pier (Chinese: 灣仔碼頭) , often called Wan Chai Ferry, is a pier at the coast of Wan Chai North on the Hong Kong Island of Hong Kong. ... -1...

Demolition of the former Central Piers

The Star Ferry Pier at Edinburgh Place, Central, together with Queen's Pier, will be demolished as a result of land reclamation along the north shore of Hong Kong Island. Both piers have been replaced by new piers further out into the harbour on newly reclaimed land. Star Ferry Pier at Central “Star Ferry” Pier is pier near Edinburgh Place in the Central, Hong Kong, on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ... Edinburgh Place is a square in Central, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong, near the Hong Kong City Hall and Star Ferry Pier. ... Queens Pier at night Queens Pier (皇后碼頭) is a pier in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong. ... Land reclamation is either of two distinct practices. ...

As of 2006, there have been widespread media coverage on this issue. Architects and conservationists state that the old piers have important architectural and cultural value to Hong Kong. For the past 50 years, it has witnessed dramatic changes and it plays an important part in their collective memory. Architecturally, the ferry pier is one of the last examples of a Streamline Modern public building in Hong Kong, along with the Central market and Wan Chai market also facing demolition.

Earlier, the Star Ferry Company carried out a technical feasibility study to see whether it could relocate the existing clock mechanism from the old pier. The clock is a precious antique mechanical clock. It was manufactured by the same UK company that provided the mechanical signature to the Big Ben of London. However, an expert and specialist clock supplier advised against relocation as there was no guarantee the clock and chimes would continue to work after relocation, due to their age and obsolete components.[1] The Clock Tower, colloquially known as Big Ben (a name that correctly refers to the main bell) Big Ben redirects here. ...

Ongoing maintenance of the ageing clock mechanism has also become difficult. Therefore, the company decided to replace the existing clock with a new set of five bells that sound similar to those of the old one.

Despite the Government's decision to relocate the ferry pier, there are local community efforts to save the Star Ferry Pier and the Clock Tower. Some members of the public call for the complete preservation of the structures. The Hong Kong Institute of Architects vice-president Mr. Vincent Ng Wing-shun, for example, warned that the government was destroying Hong Kong's heritage. "If the government moved a [proposed six-lane] road a little bit to the left or right, then we could save the pier," he said. [2]

There is currently a campaign to save the old piers organised by SEE network (http://www.project-see.net), however the decision ultimately lies with the Government as the piers are Government property. It has been suggested that the clock tower bells be moved to the front of the new pier as a memorial to the old one that has stood for nearly half a century, witnessing the times during which Hong Kong changed the most radically.

The Star Ferry piers hosted a "last ride" on November 11th, with it's last four ships between 11:00pm and 12:00pm midnight. [3]

New Central Piers

When proposed amendments to the draft Central District (Extension) Outline Zoning Plan covering the Central Reclamation III area were publicised in July 1999, there were concerns about the piers' relocation arrangements. However, the Government decided to go ahead with the plans. The Government indicated that the historical significance and importance of the Star Ferry was recognized. It will therefore recreate the landmark on the new Central waterfront.

Part of the new pier for the Star Ferry will be an existing pier built at the time of the reclamation on which the Hong Kong Station of the Airport Express MTR line and the International Finance Centre are built (i.e. no.7 of the outlying islands ferry piers). Concourse of Hong Kong MTR station, Tung Chung Line side. ... This is the complete route map of the Airport Express. ... Two ifc International Finance Centre (abbr. ...

This pier is being rebuilt and expanded eastwards to resemble a replica of the Star Ferry Pier in the early 20th century, rather than the existing, soon-to-be-demolished pier.

The Government accepted a proposal from Star Ferry to adopt a historical heritage design approach. It used the way the piers looked in 1912 as the blueprint for constructing the new piers and clock tower.

Construction began in mid-2003. As these structures occupy a prime waterfront site, the Government took the opportunity to try to develop the piers into a new landmark for public "enjoyment".

Unfortunately, the Government's attempt of trying to create a "historic" building has backfired with heavy criticism from the public of the design. This mock Edwardian design has been criticised as "a set from a film studio, and has been described as "dressing up a modern person in historical costume."

The choice of modern materials and the oversized proportions of the new design contrast with its mock-edwardian style, resulting in a "theme park" appearance. The government does not understand that they cannot recreate history and sense of place by mimicking old styles. The new pier will not stand the test of time as they are fundamentally dishonest, an imitation of the past without capturing the spirit of the past or present.

After the existing clock tower is demolished, the five old bells will be put on display in the new tower's hall and will be an ironic and sad reminder of its lost past.

The new terminal at Central Piers 7 and 8 came into effect on November 12th.

[[Image:Victoria Harbour from City Hall 14-Oct-2005 (1).jpg|thumb|400px|Star Ferry and Queen's Pier engulfed by reclamation in Central. The new piers dominating the old ones. By relocating the new piers 300m away, the Star Ferry could lose up to 30 percent of passengers due to its inconvenient location as passengers opt for alternative transport. There is a risk that in the long term, the Star Ferry will slowly be reduced to being just a tourist attraction. Queens Pier at night Queens Pier (皇后碼頭) is a pier in Edinburgh Place, Central, Hong Kong. ... The night view of the Central as viewed from Tsim Sha Tsui on the opposite side of the Victoria Harbour Central (Chinese: 中環; Jyutping: zung1 waan4; Cantonese IPA: ; Pinyin: Zhōnghuán) is an area located in Central and Western District, Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong. ...

Connections

• Taxicabs of Hong Kong

An urban red taxi in Hong Kong. ...

See also

• Transportation in Hong Kong
• List of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong
• Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry
• Clock Tower, Star Ferry

The territory of Hong Kong has a highly developed and sophisticated transportation network, encompassing both public and private transport. ... The following is a list of buildings, sites and areas in Hong Kong: List of the 18 districts of Hong Kong, with a partial list of their sub-areas and streets Hong Kong Island Central and Western Central Admiralty Kennedy Town Mid-levels Sai Ying Pun Shek Tong Tsui Sheung... Hong Kong & Kowloon Ferry Limited (港九小輪有限公司, abbr. ... Clock Tower of Star Ferry Pier in Central, Hong Kong The Clock Tower of “Star Ferry” Pier has been a part of Central on the Hong Kong Island, Hong Kong since 15th December, 1957. ...

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to:

Star_Ferry

• Project SEE
• Official website
• Save the Star Ferry Pier and the Clock Tower
• Star Ferry Video
• Documentary on the Star Ferry Protest
• Guy Photo Collection - Star Ferry Sub-page