TurboJET

Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited (Chinese: 信德中旅船務管理有限公司), doing business as TurboJET (Chinese: 噴射飛航; Cantonese Yale: Panseh fēihòng), 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 ferry services between Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen and Zhuhai, in the Pearl River Delta area.

This article is about the Hong Kong-based ferry company. For the type of jet engine, see Turbojet.

噴射飛航
TurboJET
TypePrivate
IndustryFerry services
Founded1962
Headquarters
Hong Kong
Owner
Websitewww.turbojet.com.hk
Shun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited
Chinese name
Traditional Chinese信德中旅船務管理有限公司
Simplified Chinese信德中旅船务管理有限公司
Portuguese name
PortugueseShun Tak China Travel – Companhia de Gestão de Embarcações, Limitada: "TurboJET"
English name
EnglishShun Tak-China Travel Ship Management Limited: "TurboJET"
TurboJET
Traditional Chinese噴射飛航
Simplified Chinese喷射飞航

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 / Far East Jetfoil 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) from NWS Holdings with 350 million in cash on 11 August 2011, and completed the transaction on 30 September.

Since the opening of HongKong-Macau-Zhuhai Bridge in October 2018, passenger numbers have been falling sharply due to the direct competition. The ferry service was deemed too slow and expensive. Starting 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 are now 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 / Far East Jetfoil. Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil also used PS-30 and FoilCat, whereas the former Turbo Cat used FlyingCat 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
  • FoilCat : 35m length, 561 tonnes, 423 passengers catamaran hydrofoil. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin General Electric LM500 gas turbines. Maximum speed at 50 knots. Built by Norwegian specialists Kvaerner Fjellstrand.
  • FlyingCat : 40m length, 479 tonnes, 303 passengers catamaran. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin MTU 16V 396 diesel engines, rated at 2000 kW each. Cruising speed at 35 knots. Built by Norwegian specialists Kvaerner Fjellstrand.
  • TriCat : 45m length, 602 tonnes, 328/333 passengers catamaran. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin Caterpillar Solar Taurus gas turbines. Cruising speed at 45 knots, capable of 52 knots when empty. Built by FBM Marine of the United Kingdom for universal MK 2001–2008 only (Note: Universal MK 2009 and 2010 are built by Pequot River of the USA). Universal MK 2001–2005 are installed with 2 shorter chimneys at the back while Universal MK 2006–2010 are installed with 2 higher chimneys at the back of the vessels.)
  • JetFoil: 24.44m length, 267 tonnes, 190/243 passengers monohull hydrofoil. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin Rolls Royce Allison 501KF gas turbines. Maximum speed at 45 knots. Built by Boeing.
  • PS-30: 27.8m length, 303 tonnes, 260 passengers Jetfoil-like monohull hydrofoil. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin Rolls Royce Allison 501KF gas turbines. Maximum speed at 45 knots. Built by Shanghai Simno Marine Limited, under licenses from Boeing. (This vessel is currently inactive as of September 2011.)
  • Austal 48: 47.5m length, 610 tonnes, 418 passengers catamaran. Propelled by waterjets powered by quadruple MTU 16V 4000 diesel engines, rated at 2320 kW each. Cruising speed at 43.5 knots, capable of 49 knots when empty. Built by Austal Shipyard of Australia.

Rented vessels (returned in December 2008)
  • Wavemaster SuperFast 39m: 39m length, 300 passengers catamaran. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin MTU 8V 396 diesel engines, rated at 1580 kW each. Maximum speed at 36 knots. Built by Wavemaster International Proprietary Limited Company.
  • Wavemaster SuperFast 42m: 42m length, 385 passengers catamaran. Propelled by waterjets powered by twin MTU 16V 396 diesel engines, rated at 1960 kW each. Maximum speed at 48 knots. Built by Wavemaster International Proprietary Limited Company.

Vessels information
TurboJET Fleet
Name IMO Type Year
Built		 Seats Builder  Notes  Image
Acores(恆星,929-100-008) Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1975-1999
Turbo JET:1999-2003		 262 Boeing Company Sold to South Korea in 2004
Guia(東星,929-100-009) 7932848 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1976-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Repainted in modern livery

Retired in 2018
Terceira (錫星,929-115-012) 7910008 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1979-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 190 Boeing Company 2nd Premier Jetfoil in service since Feb 2010, Repainted in modern livery in 2015
Horta(海皇星,929-115-016) 7923251 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1980-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company 3rd Premier Jetfoil in service since Jul 2012
Lilau(帝皇星,929-115-014) 8332332 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1979-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Formerly served the Royal Navy as HMS Speedy (P296)
Funchal(天皇星,929-115-013) 7923249 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1979-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 190 Boeing Company 1st Premier Jetfoil in service since March 2009
Taipa(帝后星,929-115-021) 8127701 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1981-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company 4th Premier Jetfoil in service since Feb 2013
Cacilhas(幸運星,929-115-018) 8019564 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1981-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Premier jetfoil since
São Jorge(銀星,929-100-006) 7933165 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1975-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Premier Jetfoil since late 2014.
Santa Maria(金星,929-100-005) 7523910 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1974-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company
Corvo(火星,929-100-003) 7731555 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1975-1999
Turbo JET:1999-2006		 242 Boeing Company Originally as Kamehameha for Seaflite Pacific Sea Trsp. in 1975. Sold to South Korea in 2006 to Mirajet (renamed as Hijet)
Pico(土星,929-100-004) 7737391 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1975-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Retired in 2018
Madeira(木星,929-100-002) 7523881 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1974-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Crashed in November 2013 injuring 87 and has since been retired.[2]
Flores(水星,929-100-001) 7737389 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1974-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company Formerly Jetfoil One

Currently Inactive (Possibly Retired)
Urzela(鐵星,929-100-007) 7932898 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1976-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 243 Boeing Company
Ponta Delgada(銅星,929-100-008) 7932903 Jetfoil Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1977-1999
Turbo JET:1999-2003		 242 Boeing Company Sold to South Korea in 2004
Balsa(北星) 8878362 PS-30 Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1994-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 270 Shanghai Simno Marine Limited Scrapped in Sep 2020
Praia(南星) PS-30 Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1994-1999
Turbo JET:1999-2001		 242 Shanghai Simno Marine Limited Sold to South Korea in 2002 and renamed KobeE
Penha(祥星) 9101778 Foilcat Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1995-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 419 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard Upgraded to Premier Status
Barca(日星) 9101780 Foilcat Far East Hydrofoil / Far East Jetfoil:1995-1999
Turbo JET:1999		 419 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard Upgraded to Premier Status
Universal MK I (宇航壹號) 9060376 Flying Cat 1992 303 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard
Universal MK II (宇航貳號) 9060388 Flying Cat 1993 303 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard Sold to Indonesia in 2010
Universal MK III (宇航叄號) 9060390 Flying Cat 1993 303 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard
Universal MK IV (宇航肆號) 9086655 Flying Cat 1994 303 Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard Sold to South Korea in August 2011
Universal MK 2001 (宇航2001) 9087556 TriCat 1994 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2002 (宇航2002) 9087568 TriCat 1995 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2003 (宇航2003) 9087570 TriCat 1995 333 FBM Marine Limited Vessel involved in collision with fishing vessel near Lung Sou Gok in August 2016.[3]
Universal MK 2004 (宇航2004) 9087582 TriCat 1995 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2005 (宇航2005) 9087594 TriCat 1996 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2006 (宇航2006) 9139206 TriCat 1996 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2007 (宇航2007) 9139218 TriCat 1996 333 FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2008 (宇航2008) 9139220 TriCat 1997 333 FBM Aboitiz Shipyard, Philippines
Universal MK 2009 (宇航2009) 9160188 TriCat 1998 328 Pequot River Shipwords, New London, CT, USA Second Hand (joined in 2005) Painted in MGM Colors
Universal MK 2010 (宇航2010) 9182538 TriCat 1999 328 Pequot River Shipwords, New London, CT, USA Second Hand (joined in 2005), Currently inactive (Parked at Tsing Yi)
Universal MK 2011 (宇航2011) 9444209 Austal 48m 2008 418 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2012 (宇航2012) Austal 48m 2008 418 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2013 (宇航2013) Austal 48m 2002 414 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2014 (宇航2014) Austal 48m 2002 414 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2015 (宇航2015) Austal 48m 2002 414 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2016 (宇航2016) Austal 48m 2004 418 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)
Universal MK 2017 (宇航2017) Austal 48m 2004 418 Austal Shipyard (Originally purchased by New World First Ferry)

References
  1. "TurboJET". Shun Tak. Retrieved 17 May 2016.
  2. http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1368358/80-people-injured-hong-kong-ferry-accident
  3. http://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/health-environment/article/2010035/high-speed-ferry-collision-strands-hundreds-hong
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