52nd ESReDA Seminar on Critical Infrastructures: Enhancing Preparedness & Resilience for the security of citizens and services supply continuity

On the 30th – 31st May 2017, ESReDA (European Safety, Reliability & Data Association) in collaboration with Lithuanian Energy Institute and Vytautas Magnus University (Department of Mathematics and Statistics) organized the 52nd ESReDA Seminar on Critical Infrastructures: Enhancing Preparedness & Resilience for the security of citizens and services supply continuity (Kaunas, Lithuania).

ESReDA is an international non-profit association grouping 35 member organizations, comprising companies from different industries, research organizations and universities working within the safety and reliability field. ESReDA aims to promote the development and exchange of data, information and knowledge through the promotion of Project Groups (PG) on subjects related to Reliability, Safety and Data Analysis. The dissemination of the knowledge is made by organizing seminars twice a year and publishing the most important results of the Project Groups. (http://www.esreda.org/)

Critical Infrastructures Preparedness (CIP) and Resilience is a major societal security issue in modern society. Critical Infrastructures (CIs) provide vital services to modern societies. Some CIs’ disruptions may endanger the security of the citizen, the safety of the strategic assets and even the governance continuity. In order to report on the most recent developments in the field of the CIP & resilience Modelling, Simulation & Analysis (MS&A) and the availability of the relevant data, ESReDA held its 52nd Seminar on the following thematic: “Critical Infrastructures: Enhancing Preparedness & Resilience for the security of citizens and services supply continuity”.

18 technical papers were presented covering five topics (5 sessions):

  • Emergency & Risk Management;
  • CIP & Safety Issues;
  • CIP & System Safety Engineering;
  • MS&A – Natural threats & CI’s Resilience;
  • MS&A – Preparedness, Vulnerability & Resilience.

Speakers shared their scientific knowledge and experience issued from areas of Critical Infrastructures Preparedness and Resilience. Different sectors were covered, such as: energy, transport, communication, civil protection, maritime-ports and nuclear reactors.

The technical programme included plenary presentations by leading academics, scientists and risk managers. Speakers shared their scientific knowledge and experience, stimulating our thoughts and getting across methodologies and applications in different areas of Critical Infrastructures Preparedness and Resilience. Plenary presentations were given by:

  • Darius Labanauskas, Head of National Security and Crisis Management Unit
    (Office of the Government, Lithuania),
  • Artūras Petkus, Head of Strategic Analysis Division, NATO Energy Security Centre of Excellence (Lithuania),
  • Jurga Lazauskienė, Head of division of Bedrock Geology, Lithuanian Geological Survey, under the Ministry of Environment (Lithuania).

Besides, a specific Round Table Discussion on Cyber Security was organised – invited speakers shared their experience in the field leaded by the fruitful discussions:

  • Vytautas Butrimas, Subject Matter Expert, Research and Lessons Learned Department, NATO Energy Security Center of Excellence (Lithuania),
  • Marius Celskis, Information Security Manager, the Lithuania Electricity Transmission System Operator LITGRID AB (Lithuania).

47 participants from 11 EU countries (Cyprus, France, Germany, Greece, Italy, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania and United Kingdom) contributed through their presentations, discussions and expertise in establishing the state-of-the-art in the field. The seminar proceedings and the presentations will be available on ESReDA website in compliance with ESReDA politics of free dissemination of scientific and technical knowledge (http://www.esreda.org/).

Contact
General Secretary of ESReDA
Doc. Inga Žutautaitė, Department of Mathematics and Statistics, Vytautas Magnus University
inga.zutautaite@vdu.lt

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