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TurboJET

TurboJET's Universal MK 2004 TriCat

Shun Tak–China Travel Ship Management Limited, doing business as TurboJET (Chinese: 噴射飛航), is a ferry company based in Hong Kong. The company was established from the joint venture between Shun Tak Holdings and China Travel International Investment Hong Kong in July 1999.[1] It operates hydrofoil and high-speed ferry services between Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta area.

TurboJET is one of the two companies operating high-speed ferry services between Hong Kong and Macau – the other one being Cotai Water Jet. TurboJET uses the IATA two-letter airline code 8S only for routes to and from Hong Kong International Airport.

History

Shun Tak and China Travel had their own separate ferry business brands before merging as TurboJET on 1 July 1999. They were Far East Hydrofoil by Shun Tak, and Turbo Cat by CTS Parkview Company Ltd.

It acquired New Ferry – Transporte Marítimo de Passageiros Limitada (abbreviated New World First Ferry (Macau)) from NWS Holdings for HK$350 million on 11 August 2011,[2] and completed the transaction on 30 September.

Since the opening of the Hong Kong–Zhuhai–Macau Bridge in October 2018, passenger numbers have been falling sharply due to the direct competition. The ferry service was deemed too slow and expensive. Since 2019, TurboJET started gradually cutting frequencies adjusting to the passenger numbers. The second half of 2019 started the anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong, which further reduced movement between the two cities, as well as Mainland–Hong Kong routes.

Routes

TurboJET provides services between Hong Kong, Hong Kong International Airport, Macau, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou, all located around the Pearl River Delta in southern China. The route between Hong Kong and Macau is the busiest, operating 24 hours a day, taking approximately one hour to travel the 70 kilometres (43 mi) journey on TurboJET's high-speed vessels.

In the past, besides the inter-city routes, Turbo Cat operated Hong Kong out-lying routes during the years 1999 to 2000. The routes were Central to Tuen Mun (on weekdays), and Central to Tai O (on weekends). After the merger, the routes were operated under the TurboJET brand.

Fleet

TurboJET is the world's largest operator of Boeing's Jetfoils; all used to belong to the former Far East Hydrofoil, which also used PS-30 and FoilCat. The former Turbo Cat used Flying Cat and TriCat.

TurboJET's fleet includes seven major types of vessels (and eight minor vessels), with one of the major types (and two minor types) rented from another company.

Bought vessels


Rented vessels (returned in December 2008)

Vessels information

References

  1. ^ "TurboJET". Shun Tak. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  2. ^ "Shun Tak–China Travel Shipping Investments Limited Acquiring First Ferry (Macau)" (PDF). 11 August 2011. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  3. ^ Yeung, Raymond (28 August 2016). "One hurt and hundreds left stranded in high-speed ferry crash off Hong Kong's Lantau Island". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  4. ^ Lo, Clifford; Chan, Thomas (29 November 2013). "Macau jetfoil passengers tell of 'crash like thunder' that left 87 injured". South China Morning Post. Retrieved 27 May 2023.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to TurboJET.