Introduction to A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China

Abstract

Material corrosion widely exists in various fields of social and economic construction. All kinds of accidents caused by corrosion are shocking and seriously affect the development of the social economy. With the advance of “the Belt and Road”, all walks of life in China are developing vigorously. Material corrosion is an important problem that should not be ignored. It is necessary for corrosion scientists to make a deeper study on the corrosion theories and corrosion control technologies of various materials and equipment under different environmental conditions.

Appendix: Events of Corrosion Investigation Process

1.1.1 Launch of Pre-research Project for Corrosion Investigation

In early 2014, the Chinese Academy of Engineering set up a department-level consultation project Pre-Research on Economic Analysis of Corrosion Cost and Research on Anti-corrosion Strategies. On June 27, the launch meeting of the project was successfully held at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Fig. 1.6). More than 50 leaders and experts attended the meeting, including Ruan Baojun, Deputy Director of the Second Bureau of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Hou Baorong from the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Professor Li Xiaogang, Secretary-General and Professor Du Cuiwei, Deputy Secretary-General of Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection, Professor Liu Guangye, Vice President of Qingdao University of Science and Technology, Professor Zhao Tiejun, Vice President of Qingdao University of Technology, Zhang Dun, Researcher of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yang Chaohui, Vice Director of Qingdao Research Institute for Marine Corrosion, Zhao Jun, Director of Marine Chemical Research Institute, and Professor Du Min of Ocean University of China. On the meeting, there was a heated discussion on the personnel structure of the National Corrosion Investigation Commission and the scope of the corrosion investigation.

Fig. 1.6

Launch of pre-research on economic analysis of corrosion cost and research on anti-corrosion strategies

1.1.2 Top-Level Design Seminar

Top-level design seminar of the major consultation project of the Chinese Academy of Engineering “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China” was held in Beijing (Fig. 1.7), and more than 20 experts attended the meeting, including Academicians Zhou Lian, Xue Qunji and Hou Baorong, and Professor Wang Fuhui and Professor Li Xiaogang, respectively Director-General and Secretary-General of the Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection. The meeting discussed the candidates of various industry leaders and key experts, how to obtain valuable first-hand data on corrosion cost, how to conduct data analysis, and how to carry out corrosion protection publicity.

Fig. 1.7

Top-level design seminar on-site

1.1.3 Launch Meeting of Major Consultancy Project

In June 2015, the initiation meeting and seminar of the major consultation project of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China, was ceremoniously held in the Beijing Conference Center. Academician Xu Kuangdi, Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the meeting and delivered a speech (Fig. 1.8). Deputy Director Liu Xu delivered a speech on behalf of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Fig. 1.9), warmly congratulated the convening of the meeting and granted the letter of appointment to more than 30 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering and more than 100 experts in the field of corrosion and protection. The meeting was chaired by Academician Hao Jimin, Director of the Science Department of Environment and Textile Engineering (Fig. 1.10). At the meeting, Project Head Hou Baorong, Academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Researcher at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, gave a detailed report on the progress and future deployment of the project (Fig. 1.11). He pointed out that the project will carry out investigation and research on corrosion costs and protection strategies in more than 30 industries including rail transit, airports, highway bridges, port terminals, water conservancy projects, construction, ships, aircraft, railways, automobiles, oil and gas industry, coal industry, power system (thermal power), clean energy, municipal pipe network, papermaking, metallurgical mining, home appliances, telecommunications, agriculture, and cultural relics under five major fields such as infrastructure, transportation, energy, water environment, and manufacturing, and public utilities. Through this investigation, the project team will get the corrosion cost of China, and on this basis, summarize the advanced corrosion control technologies and management experience, and put forward feasible strategies and suggestions on corrosion control. Academician Xu Kuangdi pointed out that China’s legal system led to the failure of paying attention to the late maintenance and repair after completion in the fields of construction and industrial equipment. It is easy to apply for the cost of new equipment and technological transformation, but it is hard to apply for the corresponding maintenance cost. In his view, these contradictions have a lot to do with the long-term neglect of “corrosion” in China. He hoped that this major consultation project should not only focus on the technical consultation level but also provide good service on the policy consultation, finally enabling the results of the project investigation to manifest the national legislation and financial administration regulation, and making China’ equipment and devices with “longevity”. At the following seminar, experts and scholars in the field of corrosion protection from all over the country as well as relevant leaders and engineers of enterprises and organizations, put forward valuable opinions and suggestions on the development of this major consultation project.

Fig. 1.8

Academician Xu Kuangdi, Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the project launch meeting and delivered a speech

Fig. 1.9

Academician Liu Xu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, attended the project launch meeting and delivered a speech

Fig. 1.10

Academician Hao Jiming, Director of Environment and Textile Engineering Department, Chinese Academy of Engineering, chaired the meeting

Fig. 1.11

Academician Hou Baorong reported the project at the launch meeting

1.1.4 The Project Team Distributing the Questionnaires on the Corrosion Investigation

In early 2015, the project team experts consulted a large number of industry experts and formulated public and professional questionnaires on corrosion investigation after repeated scrutiny. The public questionnaire aims to find out the ordinary people’s understanding of corrosion protection. They can directly enter the answer page through scanning the two-dimensional code of WeChat. The questionnaire was widely distributed, reproduced, and disseminated on major news, social media, mobile phones, computers, and other terminals, receiving a positive response and widespread support from the entire society. In terms of the professional questionnaire, several questionnaires were designed for different industries, such as port terminal industry, offshore platform industry, power system industry, water conservancy industry, papermaking industry, oil and gas industry, coal industry, urban water supply, and drainage industry, automobile industry and others, and specifically distributed to more than 5,000 enterprises and units in the form of mail and telephone interview in order to find out the corrosion problems, protection measures, and effects of each enterprise in detail, obtaining valuable data on corrosion cost (Fig. 1.12). In addition, the project members also publicized the significance and the progress of corrosion investigation at the meeting by participating in relevant academic conferences and distributed questionnaires on corrosion investigation to participating experts and enterprise representatives.

Fig. 1.12

The project team sent questionnaires on corrosion investigation to more than 5,000 enterprises and units nationwide by mail

1.1.5 The Project Team Went on a Field Investigation all Over the Country

Since the pre-research project was launched in 2014, the experts of the project team went to more than 100 typical enterprises and departments of various industries for field investigation and research, collected data on the operation of equipment and facilities, inputs in various corrosion protection in the beginning period, the maintenance and repair costs caused by corrosion, and the investment in corrosion protection engineering, and exchanged and communicated with the person in charge of relevant units and front-line workers to understand the policies and technologies related to corrosion protection in detail.

1.1.6 Conference on the Deployment of Series Publishing Work

The project plans to invite experts in the field of corrosion protection in China to compile many years of work results and experience into a book, and publish a series of books—“A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China.” From January 26 to 27, 2015, the Conference on the Deployment of Series Publishing Work was held in the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Fig. 1.13), and the main experts of all subjects discussed the work plan of series publishing together. The experts attending the meeting introduced their respective monograph writing plans and catalog, and reached a consensus through discussion, that is, the publication of the series should follow the principles of “finishing one and publishing a book” and “blind review”. After a period of about 2 years, the project team selected excellent manuscripts, and gradually completed the publication of the project series. After the meeting, Academician Hou Baorong, the head of the project, signed a publishing agreement with the authors of the relevant monograph.

Fig. 1.13

Conference on the deployment of series publishing work

The publication of the series has received great attention and warm response from experts and scholars in the field of corrosion protection. It is agreed that it is incumbent for scientific and technical workers to disseminate knowledge on corrosion protection. In addition, the publication of the series can not only systematize the knowledge and technologies on the relevant corrosion protection field but also improve the influence of corrosion protection work, deepen the understanding of the whole society on the corrosion protection, and enhance the corrosion protection level of the whole society.

1.1.7 NACE’s Experts on Global Corrosion Investigation Visited China

From June 9 to 11, 2015, Ms. Elaine Bowman, Project Manager of IMPACT and former Chairman of the NACE, Ms. Helena Seelinger, Executive Director of NACE Institute, and Ms. Gu Bei, General Representative of NACE China talked with the experts in corrosion investigation in China’s port terminal field on the current situation of corrosion management in port terminal field in China (Fig. 1.14). In the view of NACE, as the second largest economy in the world and the largest developing country in the world, China is typically representative, and thus it is of great significance to get China’s corrosion cost data, corrosion protection level, and corrosion management status for this international investigation on corrosion.

Fig. 1.14

NACE’s experts on global corrosion investigation talking with Chinese experts in port terminals

1.1.8 The Chinese Academy of Engineering and the Chinese Academy of Sciences Strongly Support the Project of Corrosion Investigation

In June 2015, the General Office of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and the General Office of the Chinese Academy of Sciences jointly issued the Letter on Requests to Assist the Investigation Activities of the Project on the Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China, which states: “In order to fully understand the corrosion and its control in China, promote the development of corrosion protection industry, improve the level of corrosion protection technologies, and provide scientific evidence for the formulation of relevant policies and regulations, the Chinese Academy of Engineering launched a major consultation project on ‘A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China’ in 2015. The project team will collect relevant information on corrosion cost data and corrosion control strategies in all relevant fields across the country (including nearly 30 industries such as infrastructure, transportation, energy, water environment, and manufacturing, and public utilities). We are looking forward to your active organization and participation to assist in the completion of the research work, and making valuable comments and suggestions. According to feedback of the investigation and the information provided by corrosion experts in many industries, the project team will complete the project report of ‘A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China,’ thus providing technical support and theoretical guidance for corrosion control technologies and industrial development in China. Then, the research report will be submitted to the State Council, and the results of the study will also be released to the public free of charge. We look forward to your assistance and thank you for your strong support”.

1.1.9 The Project Team Signed a Series Publishing Agreement with the Science Press

At the beginning of 2015, the project team has held a work meeting on publication of a series. After the meeting, the project team began to negotiate with the publishing units, and finally reached a cooperation agreement with the Science Press. On June 11, 2015, Academician Hou Baorong, head of the project, and Mr. Peng Bin, Deputy General Manager of Science Press, formally signed the publication agreement of the series (Fig. 1.15). The series of “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China” will be published by the Science Press. The two sides will work together to complete the publishing task of the series in strict accordance with the publishing requirements and procedures. At the meeting, Academicians Xu Kuangdi, Zhou Ji, Ding Zhongli, and Wang Yupu will serve as the advisers of the editorial board.

Fig. 1.15

Project Head Academician Hou Baorong (right) signing the series publishing agreement with Mr. Peng Bin (left), Deputy General Manager of Science Press (now General Manager)

1.1.10 CCTV Reports the Corrosion Investigation Project

In June 2015, CCTV gave a detailed broadcast of the background and progress of the corrosion investigation project (Fig. 1.16). In addition, relevant media such as the Central People’s Broadcasting Station, Economic Daily, Science and Technology Daily, China Youth Daily, Xinhuanet, People.cn, and Sohu.com also rushed to report.

Fig. 1.16

CCTV interviewing Project Leader Academician Hou Baorong, who reports on the progress of project work

1.1.11 Seminar on Corrosion Investigation in the Field of Transportation in China

On September 24, 2015, the Working Seminar on Corrosion Investigation and Control Strategy Research Project in China’s Transportation Field was held in Beijing (Fig. 1.17). The conference was hosted by Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, and was chaired by Academician Xu Huibin. Participants were Beijing Institute of Aeronautical Materials, China Academy of Railway Sciences, Society of Automotive Engineers of China (SAE-China), Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection, No. 725 Research Institute of CSIC, Marine Chemical Research Institute, CSR Qingdao Sifang Locomotive & Rolling Stock Co. Ltd., Chongqing Chang’an Automobile Co., Ltd., University of Science and Technology Beijing, Beijing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics as well as related experts. They listened to the work report of the project team and the report of each professional group leader and fully discussed the contents of the questionnaire, investigation methods, statistical analysis, and compilation of related professional monographs of this project at the seminar.

Fig. 1.17

Seminar on corrosion investigation in the field of transportation in China

1.1.12 Mid-term Symposium on the Project

On October 29, 2015, the Mid-term Symposium on the Project of “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China” was held in the Beijing Conference Center. Academicians Hou Baorong, Xu Binshi, Xu Huibin, and Zhang Jianyun and Professor Li Xiaogang, heads of the five fields, attended the symposium, together with leading experts on the subjects and leaders of the Science Press (Fig. 1.18). The person in charge of each subject reported the progress of the investigation in detail and summarized the obtained results. This symposium discussed the problems encountered in the investigation and their solutions and deployed the work arrangements and plans for the next step, serving as a link between the preceding and the following. The experts from the subject groups reached a consensus and held a press conference during the Academician Conference in 2016 to release the results of the corrosion investigation to the whole society.

Fig. 1.18

Mid-term symposium on the project held in Beijing, Academicians Hou Baorong (3rd on the right of the 1st row), Xu Binshi (4th on the right of the 1st row), Xu Huibin (4th on the left of the 1st row), Zhang Jianyun (3rd on the left of the 1st row), Professor Li Xiaogang (2nd on the right of the 1st row), and other key project experts attending the meeting

1.1.13 Seminar on Investigation of Port Terminals

The investigation of the port terminal industry is one of the key points of this project. In November 2015, the Seminar on Investigation of Port Terminals was held in Tianjin, and Mr. ZHAO Chongjiu, Leader of Port Terminal Investigation Group and Chief Engineer of Ministry of Transport attended the seminar (Fig. 1.19). At the seminar, the main experts in the port terminal industry reported in detail the corrosion cost of each investigated enterprise and department, respectively. Through the summary and analysis of the existing data, the first draft of the report on the investigation of the port terminal industry was formed.

Fig. 1.19

Seminar on investigation of port terminals held in Tianjin

1.1.14 217th China Engineering Technology Forum of the Chinese Academy of Engineering

On November 16, 2015, the 217th China Engineering Technology Forum of the Chinese Academy of Engineering—High-end Forum on Corrosion Control Strategies and Engineering Safety was held in Xiamen (Fig. 1.20). The opening ceremony of the forum was attended by Academician Liu Xu, Vice President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Xu Binshi of Chinese People’s Liberation Army Armored Force Engineering Institute, Academician Jin Xianglong of the Second Institute of Oceanography, State Oceanic Administration, Academician Song Junqiang of the National University of Defense Technology, and relevant leaders of the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Academician Hao Jimin, Director of the Department of Environment and Textile Engineering, Chinese Academy of Engineering and Professor at Tsinghua University, presided over the opening ceremony of the forum. Academician Hou Baorong of the Institute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, hosted the forum. In addition, more than 100 people attended the forum, including the relevant leaders of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, the leaders of the Academician Office of the Fujian Association for Science and Technology, the relevant persons in charge of the subjects and the main project experts. The edging and technological development of corrosion and protection over the past 2 years has been discussed and exchanged in-depth at the forum. Experts and scholars from various universities, enterprises, and institutes throughout the country have provided advice and discussed in depth in the fields of corrosion safety and control strategies, the infrastructure, transportation, energy, water environment, manufacturing, and public utilities as well as military equipment involved in the project of “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China.”

Fig. 1.20

217th China Engineering Technology Forum of the Chinese Academy of Engineering—high-end forum on corrosion control strategies and engineering safety held in Xiamen

1.1.15 2016 Annual Project Work Conference Held in Qingdao

In January 2016, the annual work conference of the major consultation project of the Chinese Academy of Engineering “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China” was held (Fig. 1.21). Academicians Wang Jingquan, Song Junqiang, Li Jiabiao, Song Weibo, Li Zechun, Mu Mu, and Hou Baorong took part in the conference, together with Professor Sugawara Masahiro and researcher Tanabe Hiroshi who participated in the Japanese corrosion investigation. In addition, more than 160 experts and insiders from the field of corrosion and protection attended the conference. The theme of this conference is “Investigating the cost of corrosion in China and improving the awareness of corrosion protection.” Experts at the conference were briefed on the investigation progress of agricultural machinery, food processing, automobiles, port terminals, and other industries, and Japanese experts introduced the general situation of corrosion investigation in Japan, relevant investigation experiences, and data analysis methods. The conference discussed and assigned the writers for an industry report, and identified the report template of the industry investigation. The writers are responsible for organizing the writing of the industry report as soon as possible according to the requirements of the template and checking and filling the data on corrosion cost.

Fig. 1.21

2016 annual project work conference held in Qingdao

1.1.16 Symposium on Industry Corrosion Investigation Report

With discussion by the Standing Committee of the Department of Environment and Textile Engineering, Chinese Academy of Engineering, it is decided to hold a press conference on project results during the Academician Conference in June 2016, to release the data on corrosion cost in China. On April 12, the project team held a phased meeting of investigation work, sorted out, and summarized various investigation work since the project was launched, reviewed the form and content of the industry report, and planned the work from April to June (Fig. 1.22). After this conference, the project team received more than 30 reports of corrosion investigation from various industries, with the original data exceeding 8 million words. Among them, the project team has selected 1.8 million words of the report content, and planned to compile into The Cost of Corrosion in China, with its compilation and publication to be on the agenda.

Fig. 1.22

Symposium on industry corrosion investigation report

1.1.17 Preparatory Meeting for Press Conference Held in the University of Science and Technology Beijing

The Preparatory Meeting for Press Conference was held on May 4, 2016 (Fig. 1.23). At the meeting, each subject group summarized and reviewed the work of the pre-research project since it was started more than 2 years ago, and combed information and data on the investigation in detail. The conference also carried on the review and the discussion of the major events of the project from the project establishment to the present day. Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection introduced the collection of investigation data and the calculation and analysis of corrosion cost. After full discussion with the experts attending the conference, the conference decided to adopt a unified method for data processing and analysis. All the data completed by the investigation groups shall be collected to the Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection for unified collation and calculation, and then the project team; the person in charge of the subject and the experts concerned shall make final confirmation. For the industry report with incomplete data, the project team shall collect and improve the data from the person in charge of this field/industry as soon as possible. The recommendations from academicians were discussed in detail at the meeting and a preliminary draft of academicians’ recommendations, entitled Recommendations on Integrating Corrosion protection and Safety of Infrastructure and Major Equipment in China into National Strategies, was established.

Fig. 1.23

Preparatory meeting for press conference

1.1.18 Confidentiality Review Conference of Investigation Report

The Confidentiality Review Conference of Investigation Report was held on May 4, 2016 (Fig. 1.24). Relevant experts were invited to attend the conference, carefully listened to the report of each subject group, and conducted a careful review. To do a good job of confidentiality review is an inevitable requirement for ensuring state secret security and safeguarding national security and benefits. The project team has always attached importance to confidentiality review. Experts at the conference carefully discussed the investigation report and the data on corrosion in China to be released, and carefully checked the data and information involved, especially relevant information related to the military, so as to ensure that the key information is not leaked out. The panel agreed that the contents to be released after the review do not involve confidential information and could be released publicly.

Fig. 1.24

Confidentiality review conference of investigation report

1.1.19 The Project Team Reported the Progress of the Corrosion Investigation to Academician Xu Kuangdi

On May 16, 2016, Academician Hou Baorong, who takes charge of the major consultation project of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China,” Research Fellow of Institute of Oceanography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Li Xiaogang, Head of the Fifth Subject Group, Deputy Director-General and Secretary-General of Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection, and Professor of University of Science and Technology Beijing, and Professor Du Cuiwei, Deputy Secretary-General of Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection, reported the progress of the project research to the former Vice-President of the CPPCC National Committee, the former President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Academician Xu Kuangdi, and Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Engineering (Figs. 1.25 and 1.26).

Fig. 1.25

Academician Hou Baorong and Professor Li Xiaogang reporting the progress of the corrosion investigation to Honorary Chairman Xu Kuangdi

Fig. 1.26

Academician Hou Baorong (2nd on the right), Professor Li Xiaogang (1st on the left), and Professor Du Cuiwei (1st on the right) visiting Honorary Chairman Xu Kuangdi with a warm group photo

On behalf of the project team, Academician Hou Baorong gave Academician Xu Kuangdi a detailed introduction to the overall progress of the whole project. First of all, Academician Hou talked about the collected investigation materials and data on corrosion cost in more than 30 important fields. Then, through the most rigorous and complete investigation in history, it was found that material corrosion widely existed in various fields of social and economic construction, which was a widely shared basic problem, and all kinds of accidents caused by corrosion were shocking and had a serious impact on socioeconomic development. Therefore, the corrosion protection of major equipment materials should be incorporated into the national overall development strategies, especially the science and technology strategy. Only in this way can material corrosion and its harm be effectively contained. In particular, the issue of corrosion protection of materials should be considered from the angle of national laws and regulations, and serial national standards and even national laws should be formulated to restrict the corrosion protection of major equipment on the level of national laws and regulations, considering the formulation of laws and regulations relating to corrosion protection of major equipment. The project team has basically formed the report on total corrosion cost and held the press conference in early June 2016 to release the cost of corrosion investigation. The investigation results would completely and accurately reflect the actual situation of material corrosion in China.

After listening to the report, President Xu Kuangdi affirmed the progress of the corrosion investigation project and its important achievements and pointed out that material corrosion is a major event related to the national economy and people’s livelihood, resulting in huge economic losses and many disastrous accidents. We must always attach importance to it, the project team must do a good job in summing up and spreading popular science, on the one hand, disseminating the harm of corrosion materials to the leaders at all levels, causing high attention, and on the other hand, doing a good job in spreading popular science to arouse people’s awareness of material corrosion. In the face of the social and economic development in the new period of China, we should pay special attention to marine corrosion. The corrosion in the South China Sea is quite serious and should be paid attention to. In the Belt and Road strategy, materials are essential and material corrosion is critical, since the corrosion of the majority of the materials in the Belt and Road environment is aggravated, which we did not understand before. In order to view the issue of material corrosion loss from an international perspective, we should pay attention to the methods and results of corrosion investigation in the world, especially in the United States, the European Union, and other countries and regions, especially the research on their countermeasures, bringing their good experience and advanced corrosion protection technology to China, so as to promote the development of corrosion protection technologies in China and effectively reduce the total loss of corrosion of materials in China.

1.1.20 Press Conference on the Results of the Project

On June 1, 2016, the press conference of the major consultation project of “A Study on Corrosion Status and Control Strategies in China” was held at the Beijing Conference Center, at which the cost of corrosion in China was announced. Academician Xu Kuangdi, Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, Academician Liu Xu, Vice-President of the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Wang Fan, Director of Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, attended the conference and delivered speeches and Academician Hao Jiming, Director of Department of Environment and Textile Engineering, Chinese Academy of Engineering presided over the conference. More than 30 academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Chinese Academy of Engineering and more than 50 project experts attended the conference (Figs. 1.27, 1.28, 1.29 and 1.30). Hou Baorong, the chief scientist of the project, and Academician of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, made a report on behalf of the project team. According to the investigation, in 2014, the total cost of corrosion in China was more than RMB 2,100 billion, accounting for 3.34% of the GDP of that year, equivalent to the corrosion cost of RMB 1,555 that every Chinese undertook. The results of the investigation were striking. The conference pointed out that corrosion is a safety problem, an economic problem, and an ecological civilization problem; corrosion protection is a major content of developing the Belt and Road strategy, and the intensity of corrosion protection and control is a reflection of national civilization and prosperity. The project team would gather more than 20 academicians to submit to the State Council the Recommendations on Integrating Corrosion Protection and Safety of Infrastructure and Major Equipment in China into National Strategies, which calls for comprehensively improving the level of corrosion protection technologies in China, scientifically reducing corrosion loss, and promoting the rapid and scientific development of China’s corrosion protection industry. Xinhuanet, People.cn, CNR, NETEASE, news.ifeng.com, and other media reported the press conference.

Fig. 1.27

Academician Xu Kuangdi, Honorary Chairman of the Presidium of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, carefully listens to the reports at the press conference

Fig. 1.28

Academician Hou Baorong who takes charge of the project reports the achievements of the investigation at the press conference

Fig. 1.29

Director Wang Fan of the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, delivers a speech at the press conference

Fig. 1.30

Academicians Xu Kuangdi (2nd on the right), Liu Xu (2nd on the left), Hou Baorong (1st on the left), and Hao Jiming (1st on the right) took a group photo at the press conference

1.1.21 Signing an Agreement with the NACE

On May 20, 2014, the Signing Ceremony for the Sino-US Cooperation Agreement of IMPACT was held in Beijing. Hou Baorong, Academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering and Researcher at the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Dr. Harvey Hack, Chairman of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE), and Mr. Bob Chalker, Chief Executive Officer of the NACE, and Ms. Elaine Bowman, Manager of Global Corrosion Cost Research Project, attended the ceremony (Fig. 1.31).

Fig. 1.31

Academician Hou Baorong and Chairman of NACE signing the global corrosion cost investigation agreement

Academician Hou Baorong, Mr. Bob Chalker, and Ms. Elaine Bowman jointly signed the cooperation agreement, which marked the beginning of the global corrosion investigation in China. NACE CEO Bob Chalker introduced the significance of the IMPACT project, saying it was the first global, systematic, large-scale and welfare investigation on corrosion cost and would be accomplished by the concerted efforts of several countries. According to Academician Hou Baorong, the investigation on corrosion cost in China was an important part of IMPACT research and it is hoped to contribute to corrosion protection in China and the world by participating in IMPACT research. After the launch of the project, a unified approach and standards would be adopted around the world at the same time, and the results would be released publically and shared free of charge around the world. The study would provide corrosion scientists and business and government decision makers around the world with a scientific and detailed set of corrosion cost data and corrosion protection strategies with public credibility, which would help to raise and enhance awareness of corrosion hazards and the importance of corrosion protection, and enable decision makers in relevant departments to take corrosion protection as an important factor to consider, thereby minimizing the impact of corrosion on the economy, public safety, and the environment. Also present at the Signing Ceremony were Researchers Zhang Dun and Huang Yanliang, Director and Assistant Director respectively of the Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Corrosion and Bio-fouling, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Professor Li Xiaogang, Associate Professor Qiao Lijie and Professor Du Cuiwei, Secretary-General, Deputy Director-General, and Deputy Secretary-General respectively of Chinese Society for Corrosion and Protection; and Ms. Gu Bei, General Representative of NACE China, Professor Lu Minxu, Chairman of NACE Shanghai Branch, and Dr. Tanabe Hiroshi, Chairman of NACE East Asia Pacific Region, Ms. Helena Seelinger, Executive Director of the NACE Institute, Mr. Matt Miller, Chief Operating Officer of NACE, Mr. Chris Fowler, former Chairman of NACE, and others.

1.1.22 NACE Visited the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

On the afternoon of February 25, 2014, the delegation of the National Association of Corrosion Engineers (NACE) visited the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, and had academic exchanges with researchers from the Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Corrosion and Bio-fouling, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Fig. 1.32). Researcher Duan Jizhou, Assistant Director of the laboratory, presided over the meeting.

Fig. 1.32

NACE visiting Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences

Researcher Zhang Dun, Director of the laboratory, welcomed the visit of Ms. Elaine Bowman, former Chairman of NACE, and Ms. Helena Seelinger, Executive Director of the NACE Institute, Dr. Hiroyuki Tanabe, Chairman of NACE EAP, and Ms. Gu Bei, General Representative of NACE China, and introduced the overall situation of the Institute and the scientific research of the laboratory. Academician Hou Baorong introduced the basic situation of the National Corrosion and Protection Engineering Center and all the corrosion investigation in the world; Assistant Director Huang Yanliang made a report on the importance of corrosion investigation in China; and Dr. Ma Xiumin has introduced the main corrosion protection technologies of the National Engineering Research Center at present.

Ms. Elaine Bowman introduced the “IMPACT” Global Corrosion Research Project to be planned and launched by the NACE, providing reliable and detailed data to corrosion experts, and government and business decision makers through investigations, so as to enhance and improve people’s understanding of corrosion protection, so that relevant department decision makers would take into account corrosion protection as an important factor. In addition, the different strategies of corrosion prevention and protection in different countries would be summarized and compared, and countries would exchange information and improve together. This study was a public welfare project and would be completed by NACE and the cooperators in industry, science and technology fields all over the world. The result would be released to the whole world and would be shared all over the world for free. The delegation hoped that the Institute of Oceanography would play an important role in conducting corrosion investigations in China.