Bilbao has been the point of entry and exit of people and freight for centuries, giving it a special touch different from other coastal cities like San Sebastian. Bilbao, an important port on the Cantabrian Sea from time immemorial, had a large dock area that ran from San Antón bridge to Olabeaga. It is impossible to conceive of Bilbao without that sea traffic, as Bilbao's commerce traditionally ran on the products it needed for proper development coming through the docks. This way, the docks of Bilbao were a crowd of ships, barges and workers who worked on transferring materials and goods. The harsh work loading and unloading ships was largely carried out by women, who also trawled barges. Women were selected for these jobs because their labour was cheaper and they were considered more well-behaved. This kind of work offered ceaseless misfortunes, as the workers were obligated to use a simple plank to go from land to ship, with the danger and severe consequences entailed by a fall.

The current loading docks of Urazurrutia, Marzana, La Merced, Ripa, Arenal, Uribitarte, Olabeaga now converted into friendly public spaces, commemorate the years in which these areas were a melting pot of lives and freight.