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The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Co Ltd.
Type	Public (SEHK: 0050)
Founded	1897
Headquarters	Tsing Yi, Hong Kong, China
Key people	Colin Lam Ko Yin, Chairman Dr David Ho, General Manager
Industry	Transport
Products	Ferry, Property
Revenue	HKD 764m (2005)
Net income	HKD 243m
Employees	400
Website	http://www.hkf.com/
Associate of Henderson Land Development

The Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry Company Limited (traditional Chinese: 香港油蔴地小輪有限公司), HYF, is a ferry company founded in 1897 in Hong Kong. It is commonly known as Yaumati Ferry (油蔴地小輪). After restructuring the company in 1989, it became a subsidiary of Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings) Company Limited (香港小輪(集團)有限公司).

The company extended its business from ferry into property development and investment, shipyard, travel and hotel, with 400 staff.

The original company was founded by a Chinese business man named Lau Tak Po in 1897 during the Colonial Hong Kong era. At the time he purchased 5 wooden boats and provided services exclusively to Kowloon under the company name "Yaumati Ferry"^[1].

In 1924 Yaumati Ferry obtained the franchise license for the rights to the transportation route, blocking off competition from Star Ferry company. As a result, the Yaumati Ferry company became the largest Chinese-owned company in the world at that point in time, profiting from the transportation demand of Kowloon expansion.

The company later became "Hong Kong and Yaumati Ferry". This included the vehicular ferry which served to transport motor vehicles across Victoria Harbour for many years prior to the opening of the Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972. The company decided to give up the ferry licenses in 1999, and these licenses were transferred to the New World First Ferry on 15 January 2000.

According to official documents, Henderson Investment Ltd is the company's largest shareholder, beneficially owning 31.33% of the share capital of the Company as at December 31, 2005. Henderson chairman Dr. Lee Shau Kee and Vice Chairman Colin Lam are also Directors of the Company.

Although giving up its franchised ferry licenses in 2000, the company retained the Dangerous Goods Vehicular Ferry Service routes between North Point, Kwun Tong, and Mui Wo, as these vehicles are not allowed to go through any one of the three cross harbour tunnels, while Mui Wo is situated on Lantau Island.

Source Gary Photo Collections

For the 2005 calendar year, approximately 58% of its revenues were derived from property development projects, while Ferries and Hotels accounted for some 18% and 20% of revenues respectively.

• Official website of Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry
• Official website of Hong Kong Ferry (Holdings)