CONSOL Energy and Port of Pittsburgh Unveil Another Pittsburgh First: State of the Art Broadband Network Designed to Improve Efficiency and Safety of Inland Waterways

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Jun 07, 2013, 11:15 ET

PITTSBURGH, June 7, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- Aboard its newly refurbished river fleet vessel, the M/V Safety Pledge, CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) and the Port of Pittsburgh Commission today unveiled the first wireless broadband network deployed on inland waterways in the United States.

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Developed exclusively on Pittsburgh's three rivers over the past several months, this new neutral wireless broadband network, called the Wireless Waterways (WW), will connect proprietary, stove-piped, and stand-alone systems into one "system of systems" to improve the safety, security and efficiency of the inland waterways and the thousands of vessels that navigate them every day. The WW is comprised of an interconnected network of physical devices and applications useful in river commerce and security and will integrate real-time navigation information, cargo-tracking, and the operation of waterway sensors.

The Port of Pittsburgh's Wireless Waterways Project, which includes the nation's first ever maritime-focused Interoperability Test Bed (ITB) as well as a pilot for a proposed national broadband network system, was launched in 2012 through grants from Allegheny County, the Department of Homeland Security, and the Port of Pittsburgh Commission. The Wireless Waterways will enable the development and use of specialized applications to improve navigation and information exchange, increase security and productivity, realize functional interoperability between public safety systems and organizations by enhancing real-time situational awareness, and improve the collection of data by environmental agencies. The WW network will provide the platform to improve the efficiency of waterway transportation, allowing regions like Pittsburgh to stay competitive in the global marketplace. The ITB will attract maritime R&D investments and is expected to provide a research edge for water-related companies in the region. The Port of Pittsburgh Commission is working with Carnegie Mellon University and the Pittsburgh-based Water Economy Network to advance the economic development potential of the project.

CONXX Pennsylvania, Inc., a developer of network architecture and infrastructure in Johnstown, constructed the network, which will be available on cellphones, iPads and other wireless devices.

To date, the technology has been installed on CONSOL Energy's M/V Safety Pledge, vessels owned by Campbell Transportation, and the Gateway Clipper. The M/V Safety Pledge is also testing the Wireless Waterways Broadband Network for Quality of Life initiatives to support a follow on application submitted earlier this month for a US Department of Transportation TIGER grant to extend the WW project nationwide.

"More than 200,000 direct, indirect, and induced jobs in the Pittsburgh region depend upon a healthy and vibrant waterways system," commented James McCarville, executive director, the Port of Pittsburgh Commission. "We have a very real economic and human interest in improving the safety, security and efficiency of our inland communications system and Pittsburgh serves as a unique laboratory for this technology. I am encouraged that WW will enable us to lay a strong foundation for the future."

"The M/V Safety Pledge is a fitting name for our newly refurbished vessel as it represents an innovative use of this new wireless network that serves as a test bed and model for inland waterway communications nationwide," commented Al Aloia, director of CONSOL Energy river operations. "It also reinforces CONSOL Energy's commitment to improving standards and safety, and is an important advancement in employee retention as it improves quality of life by providing our rivers crews the opportunity to stay in contact with family and friends while working on board the boat."

Carnegie Science Center, another partner in the initiative, applauded the educational potential for the project. "We are excited about this advance for our region and what we can learn from it," said Ron Baillie, Co-Director, Carnegie Science Center. "This project will gather and transport data from sensors monitoring issues such as river conditions, river traffic, lock information, environmental conditions, public safety issues, and structural issues with dams and bridges."

"As a participating organization, we will have access to the sensor data to use in our exhibits, camps, and classes, buttressing our strong offerings in science, technology, engineering, and math," said Ann Metzger, Co-Director, Carnegie Science Center.

The Safety Pledge will be used as a testbed for river bed sounding technology, a 3-D camera/software technology and GPS tracking technology. Christened in May, the vessel was also upgraded with a larger galley and living quarters. CONSOL Energy is considering deploying the technology across its entire future.

With more than 230 employees, 23 boats and 600 barges, CONSOL Energy's River Division prides itself on being a leader in the industry by utilizing the most up-to-date safety equipment and providing its employees with effective and productive training. Year to date, CONSOL Energy River division employees have worked 253,628 hours without lost time injury.

About CONSOL Energy

CONSOL Energy Inc. (NYSE: CNX) is a Pittsburgh-based producer of coal and natural gas. It has 12 bituminous coal mining complexes in four states and reports proven and probable coal reserves of 4.2 billion tons. The company's premium Appalachian coals are sold worldwide to electricity generators and steelmakers. In natural gas, CONSOL Energy has transformed itself from a pure-play coalbed methane producer to a full-fledged exploration and production company. The company is a leading producer in the Marcellus Shale and is transitioning its active exploration program into development mode in the Utica Shale. CONSOL Energy has proved natural gas reserves of 4.0 trillion cubic feet. Operational safety is the company's top core value and CONSOL Energy boasts a record of almost two times better than the industry average for underground bituminous coal mines. CONSOL Energy is a member of the Standard & Poor's 500 Equity Index and the Fortune 500. Additional information about CONSOL Energy can be found at its Web site: www.consolenergy.com.

About the Port of Pittsburgh Commission

The Port of Pittsburgh Commission (PPC) is dedicated to promoting the commercial use and development of the inland waterway transportation system and to integrating that system into the economic, environmental, recreational and intermodal future of southwestern Pennsylvania. The Pittsburgh Port District (the third busiest inland port in the nation) encompasses a twelve county area. It includes the three major rivers: the Allegheny, the Monongahela and the Ohio. This waterway is made navigable by a system of seventeen locks and dams. The Port of Pittsburgh supports over 200 facilities servicing the barge industry, including privately-owned public river terminals. It is estimated that more than $9 billion worth of goods moved along the waterways through the Port of Pittsburgh District and 217,000 direct, indirect and induced jobs in southwestern Pennsylvania are dependent upon the waterway transportation system, an annual benefit to the region of more than $800 million. Additional information about the Port of Pittsburgh Commission can be found at its Web site: http://www.port.pittsburgh.pa.us.