Along with the word muelle being used to mean pier or jetty, the word malecón can also mean the same thing. But when I have heard malecón used it refers to a sea wall, or breakers at a beach.

When taking a trip on a horrible road we broke the muelles on our trailer. Those are the leaf springs that hold the trailer off the axle. Interestingly there were several shops which repaired muelles right through that section of highway. Muelle is also a pier or a dock for boats.