TurboJET

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, 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 with the anti-extradition bill protests in Hong Kong as well as the COVID-19 pandemic.

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, taking approximately one hour to travel the 70 km 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 was 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

• 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 Kvaerner Fjellstrand of Norway.
• Flying Cat: 40m length, 479 tonnes, 303/406 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 Kvaerner Fjellstrand of Norway for Universal MK I and Universal MK III, and Damen Shipyard of the Netherlands for Universal MK V. All three vessels are inactive as of 2025.
• 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 2001–2007, FBM–Aboitiz Shipyard of the Philippines for Universal MK 2008, and Pequot River Shipworks of the USA for Universal MK 2009–2010. (Note: Universal MK 2001–2005 are installed with 2 shorter chimneys at the back of the vessels, while Universal MK 2006–2010 are installed with 2 higher chimneys.)
• 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 the Boeing Company of the USA.
• 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. (Note: This vessel is currently inactive as of September 2011.)
• Austal 48m: 47.5m length, 610 tonnes, 414/418 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 of Australia.
• 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 of Australia.

Vessels information

|- valign="top" |Funchal (天皇星, 929-115-013) |7923249 |Jetfoil |1979 |190 |Boeing Company |1st Premier Jetfoil in service since March 2009, often appeared in TurboJET's Premier Jetfoil promotional materials since then, retired in 2020 and scrapped in May 2025 | |- valign="top" |Taipa (帝后星, 929-115-021) |8127701 |Jetfoil |1981 |202 |Boeing Company |4th Premier Jetfoil in service since February 2013, retired in 2020 and scrapped in November 2025 |[[File:MV_Taipa_near_Green_Island_(20181013141608).jpg|link=https://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:MV_Taipa_near_Green_Island_(20181013141608).jpg|150x150px]] |- valign="top" |Cacilhas (幸運星, 929-115-018) |8019564 |Jetfoil |1981 |202 |Boeing Company |8th Premier Jetfoil in service since July 2014, involved in a beaching incident in 2014 and a fire incident in 2015 but was repaired, parked at Stonecutters shipyard as of January 2026 |

|- valign="top" |São Jorge (銀星, 929-100-006) |7933165 |Jetfoil |1976 |202 |Boeing Company |Originally parked since 2008, but returned to service in October 2014 to replaced the damaged Madeira. 6th Premier Jetfoil in service since late 2014, retired in 2021 and scrapped in May 2025 The only Boeing 929-100 to be a Premier Jetfoil |

|- valign="top" |Santa Maria (金星, 929-100-005) |7523910 |Jetfoil |1975 |243 |Boeing Company |Retired in 2019 and scrapped in March 2021, making it the first Jetfoil scrapped |[[File:20170709-TurboJET SantaMaria.jpg|200px|Santa Maria]] |- valign="top" |Urzela (鐵星, 929-100-007) |7932898 |Jetfoil |1976 |243 |Boeing Company |Retired in 2018 and scrapped in April 2021 |[[File:20091105-TurboJET Urzela.jpg|200px|Urzela]] |- valign="top" | Guia (東星, 929-100-009) | 7932848 | Jetfoil | 1977 | 243 | Boeing Company | Repainted in modern livery; retired in 2018 and scrapped in April 2021 | [[File:Boeing929-100.jpg|200px|Guia]] |- valign=top | Corvo (火星, 929-100-003) | 7731555 | Jetfoil | 1975 | 242 | Boeing Company | Originally as Kamehameha for SeaFlite (Pacific Sea Transportation Ltd.) in 1975; sold to South Korea in 2006 (renamed as Hijet) |- valign=top | Pico (土星, 929-100-004) | 7737391 | Jetfoil | 1975 | 243 | Boeing Company | Originally planned to be the 9th Premier Jetfoil, but was retired in 2018 and scrapped in May 2021 | [[File:20170709-TurboJET Pico.jpg|200px|Pico]] |- valign=top | Madeira (木星, 929-100-002) | 7523881 | Jetfoil | 1975 | 243 | Boeing Company | Crashed in November 2013 injuring 87 and has since been retired However it's still parked at Stonecutters shipyard as of January 2026 and has not yet been scrapped | [[File:20081116-TurboJET Madeira.jpg|200px|Madeira]] |- valign=top | Flores (水星, 929-100-001) | 7737389 | Jetfoil | 1975 | 243 | Boeing Company | Formerly Jetfoil One; retired in 2008 and was planned to be scrapped in October 2020, but work was suspended due to pressure from conservation organizations, parked at Stonecutters shipyard as of July 2025 | |- valign=top | Ponta Delgada (銅星, 929-100-008) | 7932903 | Jetfoil | 1978 | 242 | Boeing Company | Sold to South Korea in 2004 (renamed as Kobee V) |- valign="top" |Barca (日星) |9101780 |FoilCat |1995 |378 |Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard |Upgraded to Premier Status in May 2014, inactive since 2024 due to lack of parts |[[File:20091109-TurboJET Barca.jpg|200px|Barca]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK I (宇航壹號) |9060376 |Flying Cat |1992 |303 |Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard |Currently inactive, parked at Stonecutter shipyard as of January 2026 |[[File:20090225-TurboJET Universal MK 1.jpg|200px|Universal MK I]] |- valign="top" | Universal MK II (宇航貳號) | 9060388 | Flying Cat | 1993 | 303 | Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard | Sold to Indonesia in 2010 (renamed as Prima Oasis) | |- valign="top" |Universal MK III (宇航叄號) |9060390 |Flying Cat |1993 |303 |Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard |Repainted in modern livery, currently inactive |[[File:TurboJET Universal MK III.jpg|200px|Universal MK III]] |- valign="top" | Universal MK IV (宇航肆號) | 9086655 | Flying Cat | 1994 | 303 | Kvaerner Fjellstrand Shipyard | Sold to South Korea in August 2011 (renamed as Namhan Angel) | |- valign="top" |Universal MK V (宇航五號) |9236872 |Flying Cat |2000 |406 |Damen Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry V, currently inactive |[[File:UNIVERSAL MK V.jpg|200px|Universal MK V]] |- valign="top" | Balsa (北星) | 8878362 | PS-30 | 1994 | 270 | Shanghai Simno Marine Limited | Originally supposed to be sold alongside Praia, but the deal fell through, causing the vessel to be parked since 2011 and was scrapped in September 2020 | |- valign=top | Praia (南星) | 9143960 | PS-30 | 1994 | 242 | Shanghai Simno Marine Limited | Sold to South Korea in 2002 (renamed as Kobee) | |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2001 (宇航2001) |9087556 |TriCat |1994 |331 |FBI Marine Limited |Currently inactive |[[File:20081113-TurboJET Universal MK 2001.jpg|200px|Universal MK 2001]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2008 (宇航2008) |9139220 |TriCat |1996 |331 |FBM–Aboitiz Shipyard, Philippines |Currently inactive |[[File:TurboJET Universal MK 2008 (Hong Kong).jpg|200px|Universal MK 2008]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2009 (宇航2009) |9160188 |TriCat |1998 |328 |Pequot River Shipworks, New London, CT, USA |Second hand (joined in 2005); painted in MGM Macau livery until 2017, then repainted in standard livery, painted in Mastercard livery since 2018, currently inactive |[[File:TurboJET - Universal MK 2009 7217.JPG|200px|Universal MK 2009]] |- valign=top | Universal MK 2010 (宇航2010) | 9182538 | TriCat | 1999 | 328 | Pequot River Shipworks, New London, CT, USA | Second hand (joined in 2005); parked at Stonecutters shipyard as of January 2026 | [[File:UNIVERSAL MK 2010.jpg|200px|Universal MK 2010]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2013 (宇航2013) |9259525 |Austal 48m |2002 |414 |Austal Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry LXXXI, currently inactive |

|- valign="top" |Universal MK 2014 (宇航2014) |9259537 |Austal 48m |2002 |414 |Austal Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry LXXXII, currently inactive |[[File:UNIVERSAL MK 2014 Hong Kong Island to Macau(Outer Harbour) 24-12-2019.jpg|200px|Universal MK 2014]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2015 (宇航2015) |9259549 |Austal 48m |2002 |414 |Austal Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry LXXXIII, sold to Turkey in 2025 (renamed as Naim Tugay) |[[File:UNIVERSAL MK 2015 Hong Kong Island to Macau(Outer Harbour) 21-05-2019.jpg|200px|Universal MK 2015]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2016 (宇航2016) |9323209 |Austal 48m |2004 |418 |Austal Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry LXXXV, sold to Turkey in 2025 (renamed as Tayyar Tugay) |[[File:Universal MK 2016 Kowloon to Macau(Outer Harbour) 31-05-2016(2).jpg|200px|Universal MK 2016]] |- valign="top" |Universal MK 2017 (宇航2017) |9323211 |Austal 48m |2004 |418 |Austal Shipyard |Originally purchased by First Ferry (Macau) as New Ferry LXXXVI, currently inactive |[[File:UNIVERSAL MK 2017 Hong Kong Island to Macau(Outer Harbour) 24-05-2019.jpg|200px|Universal MK 2017]] |}

References

References

1. "TurboJET". Shun Tak.
2. (2011-08-11). "Shun Tak–China Travel Shipping Investments Limited Acquiring First Ferry (Macau)".
3. Yeung, Raymond. (2016-08-28). "One hurt and hundreds left stranded in high-speed ferry crash off Hong Kong's Lantau Island".
4. Lo, Clifford. (2013-11-29). "Macau jetfoil passengers tell of 'crash like thunder' that left 87 injured".