MV Bowbelle

	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 & 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 a firm in Gibraltar in 1992 and was renamed Billo. She was sold to a firm in Portugal in 1996 and renamed Bom Rei. She foundered off Madeira in March 1996 with the loss of one crew member.