Work to build a quay heel and a ramp for rolling stock at the Raos 9 dock in the Port of Santander is progressing. The development aims to increase the site’s operability and versatility, improving loading and unloading operations, according to the president of the Port Authority of Santander (APS), César Díaz.
In this regard, the first phase of the deck forming the quay heel has been completed with the pouring of 500 cubic meters of concrete, which, as Díaz pointed out, means the work is progressing “at a good pace” and it is “foreseeable” that both the quay heel and the ramp “will be operational by the end of the year.”
The work, which is being carried out by the company Ferrovial Construcción, S.A., represents an investment of 10.1 million euros for the quay heel and 4.9 million for the ramp. In total, 15 million euros, of which 3.5 million are financed by the European CEF “Connecting Europe” funds.
Díaz emphasized that “we are leaders in this type of traffic along the entire Cantabrian coast, being first in both tonnes and intermodal transport units; we are also leaders in regular ro-ro maritime connections with the United Kingdom and Northern Europe; and second in the rate of rail intermodality of the entire general system of State Ports.”
“This circumstance is key within the context of our demand for a North-South rail highway: Madrid-Valladolid-Palencia-Santander and for the port of Santander to continue growing and being more competitive; that is why we trust that the necessary studies and investments will be addressed as soon as possible,” stated the port chief.
Quay Heel and Ramp of Raos 9
The construction of the quay heel consists of an L-shaped (64 m x 75 meters) concrete deck with a 60-centimeter depth, supported by piles 1.20 meters in diameter. According to the project, it is planned to install 2,650 linear meters of these piles, 1,560,000 kilograms of reinforced steel, and 4,900 cubic meters of concrete.
For its part, the ramp is formed by a steel bridge rigidly connected to a float, also made of steel. It will have a total length of 34 meters and a width of 16 meters at the junction with the quay heel, and 31 meters at the end connecting to the ship. In total, it will be made up of 535 tonnes of steel.
Both works are part of the Port Authority’s Investment Plan for the period 2025-2029. A document that has a forecast of public-private investment of 270.3 million euros and which also includes the construction of the Raos 6 dock, the expansion of the car silo, or the rehabilitation or improvement of several of the port’s docks, as well as other actions related to port buildings, sustainability, energy, digitalization, or innovation.
