The history of the Star Ferry, Hong Kong

HF: The Star Ferry traces its origins to 1880 when Dorabjee Naorojee Mithaiwala, a Parsee cook, embarked on a new vocation. He began a ferry service across Victoria Harbour with his steamboat, the Morning Star. The fledgling service was known as the Kowloon Ferry Company.(1)

Before the steam ferry service was first established, people crossed the harbour in flat bottomed wooden boats known as sampans. In 1870, a man named Grant Smith brought a twin screw wooden hulled boat from England and started running it across the harbour at irregular intervals.(2)

In July 1873, an attempt was made to run steam ferries between Hong Kong and Kowloon. This was stopped at the request of the British consul in Canton, who feared it would enable visits to gambling houses in Kowloon. It is thought that a service to the public was established in the mid to late 1870s, after the cession of Kowloon to the British in 1860.(2)

Sources:
1. unknown
2. wikipedia

Sources: as above
This article was first posted on 23rd February 2026.
Related Indhhk articles:
a) Ferry, RAF Shatin Airfield – Ma On Shan ferry
b) Ferries, The Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry Company Ltd, 1923-1973