“Carola” is a crane that was once used in shipbuilding at the Astilleros Euskalduna shipyard. This 60m tall dockside crane weighs 30 tons, and was built locally at Talleres de Erandio, S.A. in 1957. In its day it was the most powerful crane built in Spain, and the first installed in Bilbao to handle prefabrication and block assembly work on slipways.

It was originally located on slipway nº 1, but currently stands as a landmark feature beside the pump house on the esplanade outside Itsasmuseum. Carola remained operational until the Euskalduna yard closed down, and is now the only shipyard crane still standing in Bilbao.

By why does it have a woman’s name? Carola was a young woman who lived in nearby Deusto and crossed the river every day on her way to work.

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