Hong Kong’s Star Ferry has sailed into dire financial straits. The local uproar suggests that allowing the Victoria Harbour icon to sink is an unthinkable outcome even as the city reels from nearly three years of protests and pandemic-induced isolation. Keeping the Wharf empire-owned boats afloat would preserve a slice of history and provide some hope for the future. The 142-year-old ferry service’s general manager, David Chow, said this week the company was struggling to pay wages after ringing up some HK$70 million ($9 million) of losses since summer 2019 because of political protests and Covid-19 lockdowns in the city. Hong Kong’s efforts to follow China’s Covid-zero policies have largely killed the tourist trade since 2020, and a recent Omicron outbreak is keeping commuters home to...
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