MV Bowbelle (1964)

Bowbelle
History
Name	Bowbelle (1964–92) Billo (1992–96) Bom Rei (1996)
Owner	F. Bowles & Sons Ltd (1964–66) British Dredging (Shipping) Ltd (1966–77) British Dredging Aggregates Ltd (1977–78) British Dredging (Sand & Gravel) Ltd (1978–84) East Coast Aggregates Ltd (1984–89) South Coast Shipping Co. Ltd (1989–90) East Coast Aggregates Ltd (1990–92) Seal Sands Maritime Ltd (1992–96) Antonio Pereira e Filhos Lda (1996)
Operator	F. Bowles & Sons Ltd (1964–66) British Dredging (Shipping) Ltd (1966–77) British Dredging Aggregates Ltd (1977–78) British Dredging (Sand & Gravel) Ltd (1978–84) East Coast Aggregates Ltd (1984–89) South Coast Shipping Co. Ltd (1989–90) East Coast Aggregates Ltd (1990–92) Bilberry Shipping & Stevedores Ltd (1992–96) Antonio Pereira e Filhos Lda (1996)
Port of registry	Cardiff, United Kingdom (1964–78) London, United Kingdom (1978–92) Kingstown, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines (1992–96) Funchal, Portugal (1996)
Builder	Ailsa Shipbuilding Ltd
Yard number	517
Launched	11 May 1964
Completed	15 July 1964
Out of service	25 March 1996
Identification	Code Letters GNLE (1964–92) United Kingdom Official Number 306078 (1964–92) Lloyd's Register number 6413235 (1960s–1987) IMO number: 6413235 (1987–96) Call sign J8GH2 (1992–96)
Fate	Broke in two and sank
General characteristics
Class and type	Suction hopper dredger
Tonnage	1,486 gross register tons (GRT), 803 net register tons (NRT), 2,107 tons deadweight (DWT)
Length	262 feet 2 inches (79.91 m) overall, 250 ft 0 in (76.20 m) between perpendiculars
Beam	44 ft 3 in (13.49 m)
Depth	17 ft 0 in (5.18 m)
Installed power	Mirrlees M47M diesel engine 1,864 bhp.
Speed	11.75 knots (21.76 km/h)
Capacity	Hopper capacity 1,257 cubic yards (961 m3)
Crew	7

Bowbelle was a suction hopper dredger which was built in 1964 for F. Bowles & Sons Ltd, Cardiff, Glamorgan, United Kingdom. In 1989, she collided with, and sank, the pleasure steamer Marchioness, resulting in the loss of 51 lives. She was sold to Gibraltar in 1992 and was renamed Billo. She was sold to Portugal in 1996 and renamed Bom Rei. She foundered off Madeira in March 1996 with the loss one crew member.