Introducing Critical Infrastructure Sectors: Transport

The Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic has prepared a series of expert articles aimed at gradually introducing all critical infrastructure sectors, explaining their significance, and helping organisations better understand whether and how this legislation applies to them.

Who the series is intended for:

• critical entities identified under the law,
• suppliers of technologies and services for critical infrastructure,
• professional entities providing security analyses, audits, and projects in the field of critical infrastructure,
• other legal entities operating in the field of critical infrastructure,
• entities operating in the field of cybersecurity,
• entities operating in the defence and security industry,
• the professional public in the field of security and risk management.

Transport as a Strategic Network That Keeps the State Moving

The transport sector is among the strategic areas of critical infrastructure. It ensures not only the mobility of the population but also the smooth functioning of supply chains, and fulfils logistical functions for the movement of goods, services, and information. Any disruption to transport can have an immediate impact on industry, healthcare, energy, and the supply of essential goods to the population. That is precisely why the emphasis on its security, resilience, and continuity is essential.

The central authority responsible for the exercise of state administration in this sector is the Ministry of Transport of the Slovak Republic.

Which subsectors belong to the transport sector:

a) Civil aviation b) Railway transport c) Water transport d) Road transport e) Public transport

Each of these subsectors has specific technological, security, and operational requirements, yet all are interconnected and form a single functional system.

Which entities belong to the above subsectors:

• Air carriers in passenger and freight transport
• Airport operators and entities operating ancillary facilities located at airports
• Air traffic control operators providing air traffic control (ATC) services
• Railway infrastructure managers responsible for the operation, management, and maintenance of passenger stations, operations control centres, railway service facilities, railway traffic management systems, signalling, interlocking, and control equipment and systems, and related telecommunications equipment and systems
• Railway undertakings providing railway passenger and freight transport services
• Operators of railway service facilities
• Companies operating inland, maritime, and coastal passenger and freight transport
• Port authorities, operators of ports and port facilities (anchorages, mooring berths, transhipment points, and docking facilities) and their users
• Operators of navigation and traffic services
• Road infrastructure administrators responsible for traffic control and the passability of selected sections of road infrastructure
• Operators of intelligent transport systems
• Providers of services in the public interest in railway passenger transport and other passenger rail transport, and in road passenger transport

Why transport is critical

The importance of the transport sector lies not only in the physical movement of persons and goods. It is a complex system that connects individual regions and economic centres, enables the functioning of production and distribution chains, ensures the availability of essential goods and services, and plays a key role in crisis response.

Entities in this sector therefore bear responsibility not only for the operation of transport, but also for its protection, resilience, and ability to respond to extraordinary events.

Does this apply to your organisation?

The transport sector is not composed solely of large infrastructure enterprises. It also includes hundreds of smaller and specialised entities that ensure its day-to-day functioning. These may include, for example, suppliers of transport technologies and control systems, IT companies providing logistics and transport platforms, service and maintenance organisations, or logistics, warehousing, and distribution companies.

If your organisation operates in the transport sector or cooperates with entities in this field, it is very likely that the issue of critical infrastructure concerns you. We recommend that you become a member of the Critical Infrastructure Association of the Slovak Republic. We will be happy to provide you with expert advice, up-to-date information, and support in implementing legislative requirements and security measures.

What to expect next

In the next article, we will focus on the Finance sector, its structure, and its importance for the stability of the state. You will learn how this sector contributes to the smooth flow of financial operations and the reliable functioning of the economy.