The structure at Porto Flavia sits on the western coast of Sardinia, near Masua, a hamlet in the municipality of Iglesias. It has two long tunnels and a suspended port on the rocky coast with sheer drop into the sea.
The structure was designed and built in 1924 by the engineer, Cesare Vecelli, who named the port after his daughter, Flavia. This system meant the minerals extracted from nearby mines could be transported to the port where they were transferred into the hold of ships using a mechanical arm. This solution revolutionised the transportation of the minerals which had been hindered by the rugged coastline and shallow waters. Indeed, up until that point, the minerals were transported on small sailing boats, the “bilancelle”, as far as the warehouse in Carloforte where they were picked up by large ships.
The tunnels dug out of the mountain stretch for around 600 metres and, with the aid of tracks and a conveyor belt, transported the minerals as far as Porto Flavia. The view, Pan di Zucchero and the tunnel opening onto the sea can all be admired from here.
