In effort to break monopolies, Israel to build private ports in Haifa and Ashdod

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International terminal operators will be more than interested to hear news from Israel that the government has decided to break up the state-run monopoly in its two largest container ports – Haifa and Ashdod – and concession off two new terminal projects to private bidders. Prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the aim was twofold: to bring greater efficiency to port operations through increased competition; and to break the stranglehold that the country’s immensely powerful Histadrut union has on the ports. However, Histadrut has to still agree to the reform.