A workshop titled “Resilience and Business Continuity,” took place in the Rail Baltica joint venture RB Rail AS to discuss strategies for enhancing resilience against various challenges, including kinetic and cyber threats. The seminar was led by Vitālijs Rakstiņš, a researcher from Riga Stradiņš University. He has played a key role in developing Latvia’s regulatory framework for continuity planning.
A central theme of the workshop was the concept of resilience, defined as a comprehensive approach to strengthening structural and operational integrity against diverse threats. Resilience involves more than just survival; it requires proactively building internal capabilities that allow an organization to adapt and function effectively during disruptions. This process creates a self-sustaining capacity to manage crises, reflecting an active response to challenges. In transportation, resilient civil infrastructure is one of NATO’s seven baseline requirements for national resilience, highlighting its importance in broader security contexts.Māris Dzelme, Head of Security at RB Rail AS, emphasized that “for RB Rail as well as for the Rail Baltica global project, this approach to resilience is not merely a best practice but a legal mandate. The organization must ensure a business continuity plan to safeguard operations in the event of national threats.”
According to Mr Rakstiņš, “the railway has always been and continues to be one of the main tools for transporting military cargo and equipment, enabling the movement of large or heavy loads over long distances. “According to Latvia’s National Military Mobility Plan, approved in 2023, there are currently significant deficiencies in railway infrastructure, as it is incompatible with Western European standards, where the main track gauge is 1435 mm. This incompatibility considerably slows military mobility in the Baltic region, as logistical centers must transfer cargo to trains with different gauge widths or onto other types of ground vehicles. Given the strategic importance of Rail Baltica, railway infrastructure standards are being adapted to NATO requirements. Considering geopolitical threats, the importance of the Rail Baltica project has significantly increased as a deterrent and as a crucial element in strengthening national defense capabilities, recognizing Rail Baltica’s dual-use role (civilian and military). Ukraine’s experience highlights the critical role of railways for both conducting defense operations and evacuating civilians. Consequently, Rail Baltica’s critical functions will support the rapid movement of allied forces by rail, easing the burden on road transport infrastructure and enabling civilian evacuation,” he said.
“Although Rail Baltica’s infrastructure is still under development, it is essential to proactively identify the critical functions of the railway and focus on the timely establishment of resilience and operational continuity systems,” noted Vitālijs Rakstiņš.
