Objective To improve the wear-resisting property of circulating seawater pump. Methods The surface engineering technology that included SEBF coating, WC coating and wear-resisting ceramic coating were introduced to solve the problem. By comparing the hardness and toughness, the wear-resisting property of the three materials was evaluated and the feasibility was analyzed. Results The damage of duplex stainless steel impeller was typical erosion corrosion, which was accompanied with faint electrochemical corrosion. Practice proved that the 0.8~1 mm SEBF-2 coating had poor binding force with metal and it would bring about coating large area to fall off over time, which made the impeller out of protection. The 0.5 mm WC coating was thinner and the washout appeared after running. Its price was expensive and the cost performance was extremely low. The wear-resisting ceramic coating protected the base material perfectly. Conclusion The erosion corrosion cannot be removed completely only by new materials. By considering the using effect and economical efficiency and combined with the surface engineering technology, the wear-resisting ceramic is proved to be the best protective coating for impeller of circulating seawater pump.