Sanctions would disrupt a major portion of the U.S.-Chinese shipping market controlled by Cosco, whose business lines include port terminals and warehousing, insurance, real estate and hotel management.

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The Alpha chain will be controlled from a joint control center, with teams from the mine, railroad and port sitting in a single place to optimize results.

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Mekel says the government's problems with the network grew during the recent Israeli military attacks inside Hamas-controlled Gaza following Palestinian rocket attacks on the southern Israeli town of Sderot and the port city of Ashkelon.

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