Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal

The Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal is a ferry terminal and heliport, centrally located in Hong Kong. It is also known as the Macau Ferry Terminal, the Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Pier or the Shun Tak Heliport, and has an ICAO code of VHSS.

The terminal is one of the several in Hong Kong that provide ferry services to Macau and cities in southern China. Scheduled helicopter service is provided to Macau, with charter services to other regional destinations.

The terminal is located in Sheung Wan, immediately to the west of Hong Kong's main business district, on the north shore of Hong Kong Island. It is connected to the territory's Mass Transit Railway, and well served by other forms of public transport. The terminal forms part of the Shun Tak Centre, a commercial and transport complex.

History 
Scheduled ferries have run between Hong Kong and Macau since the earliest days of the Hong Kong colony. Ferries to Macau departed from the old Macau Ferry Piers at this location from at least the mid-20th century, although in the 1960s the steamships – Tak Sing, Dai Loy, Fat Shan and the (more luxurious) Macao – would take around four hours for the trip. Also part of the present site was the famous Western Market.

In 1971, the Fat Shan sunk as the result of Typhoon Rose while on its way to Macau. 92 out of 96 aboard died, most of them crew members. They were carrying no passengers.

Ferry facilities 

The terminal utilises two island piers, each with several ferry docks, linked by enclosed pedestrian bridges to the ticketing and departure/arrival hall facilities in the lower levels of the Shun Tak Centre on the shore. The heliport is located above the inner pier, whilst the Hong Kong Vessel Traffic Centre, which monitors and regulates vessels navigating in the waters of Hong Kong, is located above the outer pier.

The terminal is the main point of departure for ferries to Macau, although services also operate from the Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui and from Hong Kong International Airport (for transiting passengers only).

Ferry services are provided to Macau by two companies, both of which use a variety of designs of fast ferries, including catamarans and Boeing Jetfoils. TurboJET provides service to the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal, in central Macau. Cotai Water Jet operate to the Taipa Temporary Ferry Terminal on the Taipa island, which enables easy access to The Venetian Macao casino and Macau International Airport. Both operators run services every 30 minutes, or more frequently, during the day, with TurboJET providing a limited overnight service. The journey time is approximately one hour.

Several companies also provide limited service to ports within China's Guangdong, with destinations served including Shekou and Nansha. Other services to Guangdong destinations operate from the Hong Kong-China Ferry Terminal in Tsim Sha Tsui and Hong Kong International Airport (for transiting passengers only).

Accident on 29 November 2013 
On 29 November 2013, a TurboJET double decker ferry with 105 passengers crashed with an unknown object. 85 people were injured in the crash. The ferry crashed on Friday morning at 1.15 am, on the way to Macau.

Heliport

The heliport is formally known as the Shun Tak Heliport . It is located above the inner pier of the ferry terminal, at an elevation of  above sea level, and provides two helipads and a customer lounge. But no refuelling service available. Use of the heliport is restricted to multi-engined helicopters, with a maximum overall length, including rotor disk, of  and a
maximum all up weight not exceeding .

The original heliport at the Hong Kong–Macau Ferry Terminal was built in 1990, and provided a single helipad situated over the western end of the inner pier. The Hong Kong Heliport Expansion Project commenced in April 2008, when a new helipad was built over the eastern end of the same pier linked to a new passenger lounge. Once this was operational, the original helipad was replaced and two helipads linked, with project completion in October 2009.

Macau based Sky Shuttle Helicopters use the heliport to provide a scheduled service to a corresponding heliport above the Outer Harbour Ferry Terminal in Macau. Services operate between 0900 and 2300, with flights departing every 30 minutes or more frequently if traffic demands it, using AgustaWestland AW139 helicopters. The journey time is approximately 16 minutes.

Sky Shuttle also provide charter services on the same route, and from the heliport to other locations in neighbouring region, including Macau International Airport, Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport and Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport.

Destinations

Improvement fee 
Each ferry passenger is charged for 19 HKD regardless of their age. Each helicopter passenger aged 12 or above is charged for 120 HKD for improvement fee and 30 MOP for aviation service fee. Starting from 1 April 1999, the improvement fee for airport transiting passengers who arrive or depart on the same day is waived.

Ground transport 
Apart from ferry and helicopter, the ferry terminal is a public transport hub to various parts of Hong Kong. Adjacent to the terminal is the Sheung Wan MTR station. Several bus terminus, are nearby the terminal, together with a minibus and taxi pick up area at Shun Tak Centre. The Hong Kong Tramway has tram stops in either direction across the Street.

The following buses terminate at Hong Kong-Macau Ferry, Rumsey Street, Man Kat Street and Sheung Wan, nearby Hong Kong-Macau Ferry Terminal:
 To other parts of Hong Kong Island
 2, 720 to/from Aldrich Bay, Shau Kei Wan
 788, N8X to/from Island Resort, Siu Sai Wan (Overnight service for N8X)
 N90 to/from South Horizons, Ap Lei Chau
 To Kowloon and New Territories
 88R to/from City One Shatin, Sha Tin 
 109 to/from Ho Man Tin
 111 to/from Ping Shek Estate
 111P from Choi Fook Estate (morning single-way service)
 115 to/from Kowloon City Ferry
 115P from Laguna Verde (morning single-way service)
 182 to/from Yu Chui Court, Sha Tin
 301 from Cross Harbour Tunnel Toll Plaza (morning single-way service) 
 302 from Tsz Wan Shan (morning single-way service)
 307A, 307B from Tai Po Tau and Wan Tau Tong Estate, Tai Po (morning single-way service)
 N373 to/from Luen Wo Hui (Overnight service)
 601P to/from Po Tat Estate, Sau Mau Ping (peak time service)
 619, N619 to/from Shun Lee (overnight service for N619)
 619P, 619X from Shun Lee (morning single-way service for 619P)
 641 to/from Kai Ching Estate, Kai Tak (peak time service)
 680X to/from Wu Kai Sha Station, Ma On Shan (peak time service)
 681P to/from Yiu On, Ma On Shan (peak time service)
 N11 to/from Hong Kong International Airport via Tung Chung, Cross Harbour Tunnel (overnight service)
 N121 to/from Ngau Tau Kok (overnight service)
 N182 to/from Kwong Yuen, Sha Tin (overnight service)
 N368 to/from Yuen Long West via Cross Harbour Tunnel (overnight service)
 N680 to/from Kam Ying Court, Ma On Shan (overnight service)
 N691 to/from Tiu Keng Leng (overnight service)

The other bus routes that serve the pier include:
 1, 1P to/from Happy Valley (peak time service for 1P)
 1, 5B, to/from Kennedy Town
 3A, 4, 4X, 7, 37B, 71, 90B, 91, 94, from Southern District (morning service for 94)
 26 to Hollywood Road, to/from Lai Tak Tsuen
 307 to/from Tai Po (Boarding / Alighting Stop at Rumsey Street and Wing Kat Street)
 780 to/from Chai Wan (Boarding / Alighting Stop at Man Kat Street and Rumsey Street)
 905 to/from Lai Chi Kok (former Lai Yuen Amusement Centre)
 914 to/from West Kowloon reclamation area
 930 to/from Kwai Chung and Tsuen Wan
 930X to/from Tsuen Wan
 934/934A to/from Tsuen Wan (peak time service For 934A)
 935 to/from Kwai Chung (peak time service)
 936, 936A to/from Shek Wai Kok, Lei Muk Shue and Kwai Chung North (peak time service For 936A Only)
 948, 948A, 948B, 948P, 948X to/from Tsing Yi (peak time service For 948A, 948B, 948P, 948X)
 960, 961, 962, 962A, 962B, 962P, 962S, 962X, N962 to/from Tuen Mun (morning single-way service for 962A, 962P and 962S ,peak time service for 962 and overnight service for N962)
 960C, 960P, 960S from Hung Shui Kiu, Fu Tai Estate (morning single-way service)
 967, 969, 969A, 969B, 969P,  N969 to/from Tin Shui Wai (morning single-way service for 969P, peak time service for 969A, 969B and overnight service for N969)
 968, 968A to/from Yuen Long (morning single-way service for 968A)
 978, 978A, 978B to/from Sheung Shui and Fanling (morning single-way service for 978A and 978B)
 980A, 980X and 981P from Wu Kai Sha Station, Ma On Shan and Shek Mun (Those who have Peak Only)
 982X from Yuen Chau Kok and Sha Tin Wai (Peak Only)
 985, 985A, 985B from Mei Tin and Tai Wai (Peak Only)
 A11, E11, E11A to Hong Kong International Airport
 E11, E11A to and from Tung Chung

See also 
 Transport in Hong Kong

References

External links 

 Macau Ferry Information
 Cotai Water Jet

Category:Sheung Wan
Category:Heliports in Hong Kong
Category:Piers in Hong Kong
Category:Ferry terminals in Hong Kong