TurboJET


Shun Tak–China Travel Ship Management Limited, doing business as TurboJET, 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. It operates hydrofoil and high-speed ferry services between Hong Kong, Macau, Shenzhen, and Zhuhai in the Pearl River Delta area.
TurboJET is one of the two companies operating high-speed ferry services between Hong Kong and Macau – the other one being Cotai Water Jet. TurboJET uses the IATA two-letter airline code 8S only for routes to and from Hong Kong International Airport. For other routes, it uses other codes instead e.g. J0, J1, TP, etc., depending on the flight time and destination.

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 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 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, and Central to Tai O. 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, with one of the major 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''.
  • 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.
  • 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

NameIMOTypeYear
Built		SeatsBuilder Notes Image
Penha 9101778FoilCat1995377Kvaerner Fjellstrand ShipyardUpgraded to Premier Status in February 2015
Universal MK 2002 9087568TriCat1995333FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2003 9087570TriCat1995331FBM Marine LimitedVessel involved in collision with fishing vessel near Lung Sou Gok in August 2016
Universal MK 2004 9087582TriCat1995331FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2005 9087594TriCat1996331FBM Marine LimitedRepainted in modern livery, later in UnionPay livery, crashed in May 2025 at Macau Ferry Terminal due to a mechanical fault
Universal MK 2006 9139206TriCat1996331FBM Marine Limited
Universal MK 2007 9139218TriCat1996333FBM Marine LimitedPainted in Mastercard livery since 2018
Universal MK 2011 9444209Austal 48m2008418Austal ShipyardOriginally purchased by First Ferry as New Ferry LXXXVII; sold to TurboJET before the launch of First Ferry,
Universal MK 2012 9433676Austal 48m2008418Austal ShipyardOriginally purchased by First Ferry as New Ferry LXXXVIII; sold to TurboJET before the launch of First Ferry

NameIMOTypeYear
Built		SeatsBuilder Notes Image
Terceira 7910008Jetfoil1979190Boeing Company2nd Premier Jetfoil in service since February 2010; repainted in modern livery in 2015; parked at Stonecutters Shipyard since November 2025 upon the expiration of its license; whether it will be renewed or not is still undecided
Açores 7933189Jetfoil1977262Boeing CompanySold to South Korea in 2004
Horta 7923251Jetfoil1980200Boeing Company3rd Premier Jetfoil in service since July 2012, parked at Stonecutters shipyard as of January 2026
Lilau 8332332Jetfoil1979202Boeing CompanyFormerly served the Royal Navy as HMS Speedy, retired in 2019 and scrapped in July 2021