香港電船業的發展
香港人一向稱用摩打發動的小船為電船仔,除載客外,部份電船亦可作拖帶用途,及至七八十年代,為明確區分用途,電船泛指載客小輪,而作拖帶服務者則稱為拖輪,後者的沿革另有專文敘述。

香港建港之初,巳有小艇在港內接載海員上岸(俗稱埋街)或穿梭兩岸,接載居民往返港九,上落點集中在旺盛區域,例如港島之中環、上環及灣仔,九龍之尖沙咀、油麻地及大角咀等地。

1898年,天星小輪成立,並獲政府授以專利行走中環至尖沙咀之輪渡,其他華資電船船東相繼成立電船公司,以加強競爭力,較著名為『共和電船有限公司』(1914)及『民力電船有限公司』(1920)。自1924年,油麻地小輪組成並獲其他港九輪渡之專營權後,電船仔淪為輔助海上交通工具,但角色仍然重要,直到1972『紅隧』通車後,載客渡海之功能才告消失。

早期的電船仔,外國人喜稱之為『嘩啦嘩啦』(walla-walla), 以其機器聲嘈吵。戰前和戰後的船型基本沒有多大變化,皆以木為外殼,沒有甲板,船倉皆在水平線下,引擎在倉前,客位在倉後,馬力少,約數十匹,船機以里士打(Lister)、匹打(Petter)、勞士頓(Roston)、愛莎其力及華南車為主,到六十年代未則以吉拿(Gardner)機為主,航速慢(約4-6浬),因缺乏甲板被海事處界定『嘩啦』為一等船只可在內港(即一等航區)航行。

戰時,有不少電船仔被政府徵用而毀於戰禍。戰後,除有部份被打撈復原外,大多數電船需重新建造。

五十至七十年代,通訊落後,遠洋船若需召喚電船,除預早由代理安排外,需懸掛『嘩啦』旗,以表示需要電船服務。電船公司多設亭仔在海旁以方便調動。七十至八十年代開始使用高頻(VHF),九十年代更使用流動電話,船隻調度較以前輕鬆靈活得多。

五十至六十年代是電船業的黃金年代,日間主要服務遠洋船,當時貨運以散貨為主流,一般貨船需停留數天至十數天不等,使用電船次數相當頻密。夜間更是電船的黃金時間,由清晨一時半至六時半共有三段繁忙時段,特別是港島區的卜公碼頭(俗稱皇家碼頭)和皇后碼頭、九龍尖沙咀的九龍公眾碼頭及佐敦道等上落點。在渡輪停航的數小時內,有三批人士在不同時段需要用電船渡海。

第一批是夜遊人,渡輪在清晨一時半停航(俗稱打烊)後,他們可包船或購散票乘電船渡海,票價由政府規規定。

第二批是運送報紙的工友,在清晨四至五時幾乎徵用所有電船運送報紙由港島渡海至九龍。當時全部報社皆在港島,報紙在清晨二時截稿後便趕在清晨四時前赴印,然後用貨車載到中環卜公碼頭,再用『嘩啦』運到尖沙咀,以便趕在市民上班前應市,每晚動用『嘩啦』超過60-70航次,過程非常緊湊。

第三批是回鄉客,當時火車總站尚設在尖沙咀,很多港島區回鄉客為趕乘頭班火車(在上午6時半開出)需於在五時至六時半前乘『嘩啦』渡海。

在六十年代的全盛時間,『嘩啦』的總數約有200艘。到六十年代後期,有船東鑑於『嘩啦』的速度慢及受航區限制,開始建造二等或三等載客小輪(Launch),此等小輪可航行港口以外水域(即二等及三等航區),初時船型為單層,及後亦有雙層出現,設有正規甲板,由於航速較高(可達7-8浬),載客量大(由數拾至百餘人),穩定性強及安全性高,逐漸受客人歡迎,甚至可用作觀光船(遊船河)及其他遊樂用途。

七十至八十年代初期,由於受1972年紅隧通車及1975年石油危機/航運業不景氣打擊,電船業發展受阻,至八十年代中,情況逐有改善,船東開始朝大型化發展。另一方面,由於港口逐漸擴大,亦有船東建造玻璃纖維快船,船速達17-18浬,船機主要使用康明斯(Cummins)及卡特彼勒(Caterpillar),船機馬力由270匹至400匹不等。

進入九十年代,船型更加百花齊放,隨著海事工程及新機場興建,鐵殼及鋁合金船相繼出現,船型除單殼外,亦有雙體船,載客量及速度大幅提升,個別船隻馬力超過千匹,航速超過25海浬。

『嘩啦』面對現代化的浪潮正逐步被淘汰,而設計新穎的客船近十年紛紛湧現。『嘩啦』在 1990年尚餘90多艘,到現在幾近絕跡,電船業近十年的急速變化可見一斑。

自新機場落成後,電船供過於求,正值海事處簡化清關手續,船務代理用船次數顯著減少;加上亞洲金融風暴後,船隻到港數量下滑;貨柜化持續上升,貨柜船使用碼頭日多,而即使在錨地中流作業,逗留在港的時間亦縮減。此外小艇(雜類船隻)、P4舢舨及私家遊艇,非法作商業載客用途,使電船業雪上加霜。電船的未來發展端賴業者莊敬自強,提升服務素質,亦須政府加強執法,減少違例載客,促進海上安全。最後誠望公眾人士對電船業有正確認識,加以積極支持。

蔡劍雷 理事長
(1998-2001)




The Development of Motorboat Services in Hong Kong
In Hong Kong, the general public generally label small vessel powered by engine as motorboat. Apart from carrying passengers, some of the motorboats are deployed for towing purposes. From 80s onward a finer definition on the vessels has been made. Motorboats are referred to passenger - carrying launches and the tugboats are confined to vessels with towing purposes. The development of tugboats is separately described in another article.

In the early days of the Victoria Harbour, small boats plied between two sides of the harbour and the ocean going vessels. Landing points concentrated in the busy districts - Central, Sheung Wan and Wanchai in the Island and Tsimshatsui, Yaumatei and Tai Kok Tsui in the Kowloon Peninsula.

In 1898, Star Ferry was established and the Company was awarded monopoly to run ferry services from Central to Tsimshatsui. Other local Chinese motorboat owners formed motorboat companies to strengthen competitiveness, such as the Republic Motor Boat Co Ltd (1914) and the Moonraker Motorboat Co Ltd (1920). In 1924, the Yau Ma Tei Ferry Co Ltd was set up and was given monopoly to operate other ferry lines. The significance of motorboats in the cross-harbour ferry service has since then been reduced to a supplementary role and after the completion of the Hung Hom Cross-Harbour Tunnel in 1972, this role was totally replaced.

Walla-walla was at first nick-named by the European passengers as the engine of the vessel was very noisy. The outlook of the walla-walla (Class 1 motorboat) did not change much in the past decades. The wooden hull, the below-loadline cabin (ie without deck) and the engine in the front part of the cabin were characteristics of these boats. Gardner was the prevailent type of engine. With the horse power under 100 HP, the speed was around 4-6 knots. Class 1 motorboat was allowed to ply in the sheltered part of the harbour ie. Class 1 districts as defined by the Marine Department.

During the Second World War, many walla-wallas were mobilised by the Government for public service and were destroyed. After the war, only a few were salvaged and repaired. Many new boats were built.

From 50s to 70s, the means of communication in the harbour was not well developed. The summon of motorboats by ocean going vessels, except by prior arrangement of the ship's agents, was mainly signalled by the hoisting of a special flag - the so-called walla-flag. Motorboat kiosks were set up in the waterfronts for the deployment of the boats. From 70s onwards, VHF was deployed and in 90s, mobile telephone was introduced. Operation of motorboats hence became much easier.

The 50s and the 60s were the golden ages of motorboat business. In the daytime, service to seafarers was the major business. The cargo ships were breakbulk cargo carriers and the ships stayed in port from a few days to a few weeks. The ferry services to these ships were much frequent. The time after mid-night was another rush hours for motorboats, especially during the period from 1:30 am to 6:30 am when the regular cross-harbour ferry stopped services.

There were 3 distinct groups of passengers in need of motorboat service during 3 busy sessions in late nights at Blake Pier, Queen's Pier, Kowloon Public Pier and Jordan Road Landing Step.

The first group is the night goers. After the cross-harbour ferry stopped service at 1.30 am, they can charter the whole boat or buying tickets for the motorboat service. The rates were regulated by the Government.

The second group is the transport workers of newspaper. From 4-5 am, they almost chartered all the motorboats for delivering newspaper from Hong Kong side to Kowloon. Before 70s, all the newspapers' offices and printing workshops were in the Island. Newspapers were printed and ready by 4 am. Trucks delivered the papers to Blake Pier and over 60-70 motorboats/trips were deployed for the transport of the same to Kowloon.

The third group of passengers were the mainland goers. Before the 70s, the Railway Terminal was still at Tsimshatsui. Many travellers from the Island preferred to catch the first train departed at 6.30 am and they had to take the motorboats between 5 am and 6 am.

In the 60s, the number of wallas was around 200. In late 60s, some owners were dissatisfied with the low speed and the plying restriction of the class 1 motor boats. They began to build Class II and III launches. These types of vessels can ply to Class II and III districts - ie. outside harbour limits. The launch was single deck at first and later, double deck became popular. Speed of the launch was higher (7-8 knots) and the passenger carrying capacity was greater (from 30 over 100). With better stability and higher safety standards, the launches became more popular and these vessels can be deployed for pleasure and sight seeing functions.

The completion of the Hung Hom Cross Harbour Tunnel in 1972 and the Oil Crisis/Shipping Recession in 1975 dealt a severe blow to the trade. Quite a number of operators retired from the trade. From mid-1980s onwards, economic conditions improved, and the owners began to build larger launches. On the other hand, with the enlargement of the port, some owners ordered GRP speed launches. With the use of Cummins or Caterpillar engines (270-400 HP) the speed of the launch could reach 17-20 knots.

In the 90s, the launch models were further boasted by the rapid growth of marine engineering projects and the building of the new airport at Chak Lap Kok. Steel and aluminum hull (single/twin) were built. Passenger capacity and speed were further raised. Some of the vessels deployed engine more than 1000 HP and attained a speed of over 25 knots. The old wallas were outdated. In 1990, there was a total of 93 wallas and by 1999, there were only 21 left. The rapid change of the trade in the past 10 years was vividly demonstrated.

After the completion of the new airport in 1998, there was an oversupply of motorboats. The simplification of port clearance by the Marine Department (ie. reduction of boat trips of the boarding agents), the containerisation of cargoes (ie. shortening of port time, increased use of container terminal and the reduction in number of break bulk vessels) and the illegal use of pleasure craft and sampans for commercial carriage of passengers affected the trade negatively. The future development of the trade rests on the increased competitiveness of the launches in quality and safety, the abolition of illegal carriage of passengers by improper vessels and the positive understanding and support of the trade by the general public.



Choi Kim Lui
Chairman
MBTA (1999-2001)
28.11.2000