TRIBUTES are being paid to a well-known Newport mariner and businessman who died after a long illness.

Bill Dowds, who died last week aged 79, spent much of his life associated with the sea.

After his cremation, Mr Dowd's family plan to spread his ashes in the sea at the entrance to Newport Docks, where he made his living.

His family, from Ridgeway, Newport, paid tribute to a "loving father and grandfather", a simple Belfast boy who dreamt of travelling the world and went on to set up his own shipping firm.

Bill Dowds left his home town of Belfast aged 17 to join the Merchant Navy, where he served as a radio operator during the Second World War, including convoys across the Atlantic.

During a stop-over in Newport, he met his wife-to-be Rita after a dance, and decided to make the bustling port his home.

After leaving the Merchant Navy he worked in Newport selling electrical supplies to ships, then became involved in buying and selling coal. This inspired Bill to set up his own shipping firm, WE Dowds Ltd, in Newport docks in 1960.

Five years later the business had grown so much he set up his own wharf, Penmaen Wharf, with three ships transporting Welsh coal and coke around the world.

His son Charles Dowds, 52, who still works for the family business, said: "He always wanted to travel the world, which is how he became a merchant seaman.

"But even when he was at sea he was always coming up with business ideas.

"He knew nothing about coal but he learnt. He was determined to succeed and was not going to work behind a desk.

"He enjoyed his work, there's no doubt about that. It was a seven-day a week job."

Recently, three of his 25 staff celebrated their 25th year at the company, and three generations of one family have worked at the firm. Mr Dowds was also well-known as a member of Newport Harbour Commission, where he started in 1971 and worked until 2003. He served as its chairman in 1977, and was the longest-serving chairman of its works and finance committee, from 1974 to 2003.

He left a widow, Rita, children Charles, Barbara and Lorraine, and six grandchildren Nola, 27, Lela, 25, Laura, 22, Nathan, 14, Natalia, 10, and Natacha, eight.

Daughter Barbara said: "He was just the best grandfather. He was never happier than when the family was all together."

Mr Dowds died at Newport's Royal Gwent Hospital on March 16. The funeral takes place at St Stephen's Church, Newport, tomorrow at 11.45am, family flowers only, donations in lieu to the church.