The Story Behind The Star Ferry Designs

For over 100 years, Hong Kong’s Star Ferry has helped to transport people and cargo from one side of Victoria Harbour to the other. Almost as popular today as when it first began operating in 1888, it stands as a constant reminder of Hong Kong’s rich maritime history. 

On average, the Star Ferry carries over 50,000 passengers a day (over 20 million a year), and it is an important part of the commuter system in Hong Kong, and remains one of the city’s oldest modes of transport that still functions. Visitors take the distinctive Star Ferry to snap pictures of one of the world’s most photographed waterfronts, and local residents use it to avoid the MTR crowds and peak-hour tunnel jams. 

Traditionally each of the ferry boats were named differently, the Star Ferry Evening Star was the second boat in the fleet to set sail across the harbour. The name Star Ferry came to be known as the collective name of these cross-harbour ferries because all the ferries of the company had the word ‘Star’ at the end of it. Now 120 years since its founding, the company has grown from a handful of single-deck coal-powered boats to a fleet of diesel-electric vessels. All ferries operate with air-conditioned upper decks during Hong Kong’s humid summer. Still as relevant as ever, and continuing our range of Star Ferry designs, it was only fitting that with the new collection a new design was added. 

The Evening Star is a unique design in that it is the first in the Star Ferry range to be a solid block colour. Keeping the traditional white stitched star as the focal point, these shorts combine modern execution to deliver a design that's perfect for transitional seasons.