3.   MATTERS ARISING FROM MINUTES

      None.

4.   ELECTION OF OFFICERS/COMMITTEE  

There were no new nominations.  The Chairman and Vice-Chairman were accepted for a further year; proposed by Gary Masters (E.ON Engineering), seconded by Charlie Barraclough (Commtech)

 The Chairman pointed out that there was still further space on the committee and volunteers/nominations would be very welcome for next year!

5.   CHAIRMAN’S REPORT

I would like to thank the members and presenters (especially the Keynote speakers) for their contributions to another productive year at the Marine Corrosion Forum, which has seen growing membership, good meetings attendances and a varied range of technical presentations.  I particularly welcome new members BAC Corrosion Control, CJ Wiretech, Clyde Pumps, ECHA Microbiology and E.ON Engineering.  

Meetings have attracted regular attendances of around 30, with this April’s Aberdeen meeting attracting nearly 50!  The MCF is always glad to see multiple attendees from our member companies (normally up to 3, but flexible, especially when members are presenting).  The Forum website continues to receive substantial traffic, including prospective members and technical enquiries. 

This year’s technical agenda has covered cathodic protection, copper alloys, seawater systems, oil-field Corrosion Resistant Alloys, erosion-corrosion research advances, development of new test methods and progress in both NDE and microscopy techniques.  The range of subjects covered can be illustrated by comparing the small (‘Optical 3-D Metrology’ by Brian Kyte, Alicona) with the large (‘Cathodic Protection of the Thames Barrier’ by Brian Wyatt, Corrosion Control) and the carbon economy (‘Corrosion Resistant Alloys for Oil and Gas Engineering Applications’ by John Grubb, ATI-Allegheny Ludlum) with low-carbon renewables (‘CP on Offshore Wind Farms’ by Ross Fielding, Impalloy).  As always, the MCF strives to provide a varied technical programme to keep members abreast of the latest developments in our profession.  The committee is always grateful of suggestions for topics or presenters of interest; members can always volunteer themselves (or a colleague!). 

It has been the intent of the MCF to support a joint academic research programme, as has been the case in the past.  Increases in post-graduate research costs are now making support of MSc or undergrad projects of interest, to encourage interest in marine corrosion topics among tomorrow’s engineers. 

The MCF maintains its CPD recognition from IOMMM and IMarEST, supports the World Corrosion Organisation and maintains its ongoing links with the Aberdeen ICorr Branch.  Promotion by MCF of the IMarEST 1st Marine Failure conference in September allowed us to award a member with a free ticket by lottery, which I hope was a suitable bonus of MCF membership.  The MCF is still interested in holding its own conference in the next couple of years, building on our past successes in this field; this may involve collaboration with another corrosion industry body. 

And finally, a webpage enquiry at the beginning of the year for MCF assistance in developing a galvanic corrosion / cathodic protection demonstration piece in a television documentary lead to your chairman appearing in “Richard Hammond’s Engineering Connections-Sydney Opera House” programme, starring alongside a battery charger, two aquariums full of salty water, some copper and steel plates and a very depleted zinc anode.  And yes, he really isn’t very tall…

6.      SECRETARIAT’S REPORT    

At the end of 2009 the membership stood at 33.  We lost 2 members:  CM BEASY and Noel Village (Steel Founders) Ltd.  4 companies joined us:  BAC Corrosion Control, CJ Wiretech Limited, ECHA Microbiology and E.ON Engineering Limited, and 1, Clyde Pumps, rejoined, having previously inherited membership from Weir.  A list of members will be sent out, as usual, with the January mailing. This is also available at any time, to members on request. 

The end of year accounts were detailed for members.  Copies are sent to members with the printed or pdf minutes. 

For 2010 the Management Committee have decided to leave the rates at the 2009 level.

The Full membership fees are therefore £655, but with a £100 discount for those companies that pay by 1^st May 2010. 

Overseas membership and Sole Trader membership will be £410 with a similar £100 reduction for prompt payment.  Overseas payments not in sterling will incur a charge of £50 to cover our bank costs.  A facility for payment by credit card is also be possible, but there is a small charge for this to cover the costs to MCF of making the credit card transaction. 

The booklet of member company Laboratory Facilities is currently in the process of being updated.  It is available in pdf format and can be found on the MCF website.  Similarly, the pdf booklet for member company Consultancies is also being updated.  Any other member company wishing to participate in these should make a request to the Secretariat.  When companies contact the Secretariat requiring technical advice these two web-based documents provide a useful reference point to which enquirers can be directed. 

CPD certificates are available at meetings, and we have been pleased to have the continued recognition of IoM3 and IMarEST for these.  The former approves each meeting in advance, while the latter approves our meetings for a number of years and comes up for renewal in 2010.

The MCF web-site offers a useful contact point.  The number of visits to the web-site continues to increase, in keeping with a general increase in the use of the internet.  The number of visits, for the last quarter of 2009, was 390 per day.  Links on the site enable requests for further information about the MCF, or for an invitation to a meeting. 

The search facility continues to be used regularly.  Recent popular search terms have been: “corrosion, materials, protection, seawater, microbial and alloy”.  The News page gives details of conferences and other items likely to be of interest to members.  Further items are always welcomed.