Cargadero de Orconera, Industrial ore dock in El Astillero, Spain.
The metal loading dock extends 66.5 meters over water, supported by six cast iron columns spaced eleven meters apart for mineral transfer operations.
Construction of the Cargadero de Orconera completed in 1893, designed by José MacLennan to facilitate iron ore exports from the Bay of Santander region.
The structure represents the industrial heritage of northern Spain, documenting the region's mining activities and international mineral trade connections during industrialization.
The loading system evolved from manual wagon tipping to conveyor belts in the 1970s, increasing the mineral transfer efficiency from trains to waiting ships.
The first vessel at this dock, steamship Alicia, transported 1,800 tons of iron ore to Middlesbrough, England on March 24, 1894.
Location: El Astillero
GPS coordinates: 43.40085,-3.81571
Latest update: September 27, 2025 15:22
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