Remember those old Hong Kong movies? The Legend of Speed starring Ekin Cheng? Some of it was filmed right here at Kwun Tong Vehicular Ferry Pier. This pier is more than just concrete and steel. It is a piece of Hong Kong’s vibrant past.
Kwun Tong Vehicular Ferry Pier sits on Hoi Yuen Road. It is a reminder of a time when ferries were essential. They connected different parts of the city. Originally the pier was located in Ngau Tau Kok. It was called Ngau Tau Kok Ferry Pier. Reclamation work in the 1960s forced its relocation here to Kwun Tong.
This complex actually consists of three piers. There is a passenger ferry pier. There is a vehicular ferry pier. There is also a public pier. For a time, part of this vehicular ferry pier even housed the Kwun Tong Driving School. Imagine learning to drive with the harbor as your backdrop. A footbridge connects the Kwun Tong Ferry Pier to the Manulife Financial Centre. This shows how the old and new intertwine in Hong Kong.
In the past, Hongkong and Yaumati Ferry operated many routes from here. Ferries went to Central, North Point and Shau Kei Wan. The opening of the MTR and the Eastern Harbour Crossing changed everything. Passenger and car ferry numbers declined. Services were cut back. Ferries between Kwun Tong, North Point and Mui Wo still run. This is because dangerous goods are not allowed in the cross harbor tunnels.
Today, Fortune Ferry operates a route to North Point. It even stops at the Kai Tak Runway Park Pier on weekends. Coral Sea Ferry runs a service to Sai Wan Ho. These ferries offer a quick trip across the harbor. They provide a different perspective on the city.
Kwun Tong itself has a rich industrial history. In the 1980s, about 20% of Hong Kong’s industrial output came from here. The government planned Kwun Tong as an industrial area in 1954. Factories boomed from 1965 to 1985. At its peak, Kwun Tong had thousands of factories. These factories employed hundreds of thousands of workers. Many workers took ferries to and from Kwun Tong every day.
The Kwun Tong Vehicular Ferry Pier played a vital role. It supported the transport of goods and people. Even today, it is used for transporting dangerous goods. It is a reminder of Kwun Tong’s industrial strength. The pier stands as a testament to Hong Kong’s ever-changing landscape. It connects the past, present and future.