Tallinn Old City Harbour, Quay No. 3 · 29 September to 2 October 2025
| Project | Port-side hull cleaning, rust treatment and two-layer repaint |
| Client | Tallink Grupp AS |
| Contractor | AK Marine (ARN OÜ) |
| Vessel | M/S Megastar (IMO 9773064) |
| Location | Tallinn Old City Harbour, Quay No. 3 |
| Period | 29 September to 2 October 2025 |
| Treated area | 758 m² of a 1,083 m² hull side |
The Project
Megastar runs Tallink’s high-frequency Tallinn to Helsinki shuttle. Taking her port side back to a clean, properly protected finish meant pulling her out of service for four days, a rare break in her schedule and a hard deadline to work to.
AK Marine planned the whole job around that fixed window: 29 September at 11:00 to 2 October at 20:00, alongside Quay No. 3 in Tallinn’s Old City Harbour. Cleaning, rust treatment and both paint layers all had to be finished and signed off before she sailed again.
Scope & Method
Chemicals and paint were supplied by the vessel and applied to Tallink’s own specification, so the work turned on preparation quality, sequencing and sign-off rather than materials selection.
Surface preparation
The treated area was stripped of all loose paint with a high-pressure water jet. Remaining paint edges and rust spots were then treated mechanically and smoothed, and all loose paint and cleaning residues were collected as work progressed.
Rust treatment
Rust-damaged sections were treated both mechanically and chemically. Every treated surface was presented to the vessel’s representative for approval before any painting began.
Coating
Cleaned surfaces were treated with the vessel’s chemical, then coated with primer and a first paint layer to the vessel’s paint specification, followed by a second layer for 100% coverage of the treated area.
Crew & equipment
AK Marine supplied the labor, tools and lifting equipment for the full window. The vessel provided the electrical and water supply for the lifting equipment and pressure washers, and all work was carried out under a strict permit-to-work system.
Delivered in a Four-Day Window
Planning a job like this is never entirely predictable. Given the dates and the season in Estonia, AK Marine kept the window on track with round-the-clock rotational shifts, working straight through from the first wash to the final coat.
| Work focus | Status |
|---|---|
| Port-side hull cleaning (1,083 m² total, 758 m² treated) | Completed |
| Mechanical and chemical rust treatment | Completed |
| Primer and two-layer paint application | Completed |
| Crew mobilisation and demobilisation, Quay No. 3 | Completed |
| Surface approvals by the vessel’s representative | Signed off at each stage |