La Story (Les Echos) Analysis: Port Modernization in the French Antilles—The Eubantie Hub Project and the Risks of Drug Trafficking
▶ Original Episode: https://shows.acast.com/la-story/episodes/modernisation-des-ports-de-guadeloupe-et-martinique-comment
July 30, 2026
Overview
The daily podcast "La Story" from the French economic newspaper Les Echos has covered the port modernization plans for Guadeloupe and Martinique, the French overseas departments in the Caribbean. Focusing on the "Eubantie" project—which aims to modernize and expand the ports on both islands to develop them into logistics hubs connecting Europe with the Caribbean and South America—the episode explains the economic significance and the associated risks of increased drug trafficking, based on reporting by Les Echos Antilles correspondent Ludovic Clerima.
Leveraging their proximity to the Panama Canal and the Americas, the plan aims to double transshipment activities at both ports by 2027, with the French government and shipping giant CMA CGM participating. The total project cost reaches 336 million euros (approximately 62.8 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 186.92 yen).
On the other hand, doubling the number of containers transported could also lead to an expansion of cocaine smuggling routes from South America to Europe. Only a small fraction of containers are inspected, and there is a chronic shortage of customs officers. The article carefully depicts both the expectations for economic development and the shadow side of drug trafficking and deteriorating security.
Two French overseas departments dependent on maritime transport
Guadeloupe and Martinique are two French islands located approximately 6,800 km from Paris by air. While air travel is the fastest means of transport, both islands are heavily dependent on maritime transport for their daily needs.
According to correspondent Ludovic Clerima, 70% to 90% of products consumed on both Martinique and Guadeloupe are imported by ship. When a large-scale strike at the port of Le Havre in mainland France caused major disruptions to container transport in March of this year, supermarkets on both islands faced food shortages for several days. The same applies to technical equipment such as computers and smartphones. For the approximately 700,000 residents of both islands combined, maritime transport is a lifeline.
Martinique's large commercial port has a container terminal at Pointe des Grives, which handles over 150,000 containers annually. Guadeloupe's port also handled approximately 3.5 million tons of cargo last year. While both are vital assets supporting the regional economy, they are also targets that must be guarded against all types of smugglers.
The Eubantie project and the plan to double transshipment
Against this backdrop, the "Antilles Hub Port" plan, the Eubantie project, is being promoted by the French government. This is a structural project for both departments, aimed at modernizing and expanding the ports of Martinique and Guadeloupe. The goal is to double transshipment activities by 2027.
Transshipment is a maritime operation where containers not necessarily destined for the local area are transferred from one ship to another. Clerima describes this as "like Tetris." The goal is to develop the Antilles into a logistics platform located at the heart of the Caribbean by unloading containers from one ship and reloading them onto another. The total project cost is estimated at 336 million euros (approximately 62.8 billion yen).
There are two main drivers of this project: the French government and the shipping giant CMA CGM. CMA CGM is investing approximately 80 million euros (approximately 15 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 186.92 yen), which is about one-quarter of the total construction cost. The company will ultimately benefit from the upgraded infrastructure through this investment. This is because CMA CGM holds a 70% market share in Guadeloupe and 75% in Martinique for maritime freight transport in the Antilles. Furthermore, these ports will be upgraded to a scale capable of receiving CMA CGM's new large fleet, which has double the container capacity of previous vessels.
Through this investment, France aims to counter Chinese and American operators who are strengthening their presence in the Caribbean region and to enhance its own presence.
The strength of being a gateway to Europe
The greatest strength that Martinique and Guadeloupe have as logistics hubs is that both islands are France, and therefore Europe. This is an advantage that neighboring countries cannot overlook.
With this upgrade, the Antilles will become an official gateway from Latin America and the Caribbean to Europe. The hub port will function as a type of border control point. For example, if goods from Brazil or Colombia arrive in Martinique, those goods will be considered to have passed all necessary inspections to meet European standards and can be shipped directly to all European Union member states without further inspection.
The expansion of activity is already becoming apparent. In Guadeloupe in particular, a new gantry crane was delivered in July 2025, and quay expansion work is underway. This year, 106,000 containers are expected to be handled as transshipment in Guadeloupe, compared to the usual 32,000. Meanwhile, in Martinique, one of the new gantry cranes collapsed in September 2025, slightly delaying the start of operations. It is currently being dismantled and is scheduled to be replaced soon.
In Guadeloupe, the Port of Jarry, equipped with four post-Panamax gantry cranes, is the island's largest cargo port, and 95% of Guadeloupe's freight transport passes through here. Located at the center of the island's largest industrial zone, this port will add 120 meters of quay by August 2027 and will eventually have 7 hectares of storage space. The goal is to handle 300,000 container transshipments per year.
Spillover effects on the local economy and expectations for prices
Could this project also be a benefit to local businesses and the region as a whole? Local authorities and CMA CGM claim that it will.
For example, it is estimated that the large port in Guadeloupe will eventually create 150 to 180 jobs. There is also talk of improved performance for local companies that import goods and the potential for lower costs for imported raw materials, which could lead to an impact on high prices. However, Clerima remains cautious, stating that it will not be known whether these results will be achieved until the entire hub port is completed and operational.
Lowering prices is a major challenge for the region. According to a 2022 survey by the French National Institute of Statistics and Economic Studies (INSEE), prices are on average 15.8% higher in Guadeloupe and 13.8% higher in Martinique compared to mainland France. This gap is particularly large for food products, and is notable in products including dairy, water, and sugar.
CMA CGM is pinning its hopes on more reliable logistics with a fleet of seven ships. The route from Le Havre is expected to be shortened by two days, and the route from Dunkirk by four days, with the aim of boosting trade between Europe and the islands.
The risk of drug trafficking invited by doubling containers
However, it is not only local businesses that are waiting for this investment and the expansion of maritime transport with interest. Smugglers, especially those targeting drug trafficking, are doing the same.
This is a point of strong concern for many public institutions, especially the public prosecutors of both departments. Clarisse Taron, the public prosecutor of Fort-de-France, points out that entire containers are now a major route for cocaine entering Europe, and she is worried about the number of containers in the department doubling by 2027.
According to a customs officer interviewed by Clerima, only 5 to 6% of the containers received by the two islands are subject to thorough inspection. This means that the remaining 94 to 95% are effectively uninspected.
The Antilles, not limited to French territories, have become a major transit point for drugs. The amount of seizures carried out by the Antilles armed forces is increasing year by year, with 35 tons of drugs seized in 2025. This is an increase from 28 tons in 2024. Most of it is cocaine; of the 35 tons in 2025, 31.8 tons were cocaine.
According to customs officers, the increase in seizures is not because inspection accuracy has improved, but because the volume of circulation itself has increased significantly. Criminologist Stéphane Quéré points out that cocaine is currently being overproduced in Colombia, making Europe a prime target for smuggling. In addition, competition between Caribbean ports also works in favor of smugglers. For a port to be considered efficient, container dwell time must be minimized, which makes inspections quick and inaccurate.
The surge in seizures and the limits of maritime security
Customs is increasing seizures through large-scale efforts. Of the 81 tons of drugs seized in France in 2025, 42 tons were in the arc of the Antilles. However, the increase in seizures is also a reflection of the fact that drug circulation in this region is increasing just as much.
Last December, a large-scale operation was carried out in which the French Navy seized 4 tons of cocaine from an Antillean fishing boat. On May 9 of this year, the Navy also seized approximately 3.5 tons from a fishing boat sailing without nationality in Antillean waters. This sea area is a vast space of 138,000 square kilometers, including most of the Caribbean Sea and the Atlantic Ocean, and monitoring all of it is not easy.
In January of this year, Emmanuel Macron announced a large-scale customs plan to strengthen measures against drug trafficking at ports. The state is taking measures such as strengthening the maritime security force, installing additional coastal radars, utilizing maritime drones, and reinforcing drug enforcement offices. However, the biggest weakness is customs personnel. In the Antilles, as in all of France, there is a serious shortage of personnel. According to Manuela Donat, secretary general of the CGT customs department, while political discourse speaks of an active fight against drug trafficking, 6,000 customs positions have disappeared in France over the past 30 years. There are not enough 'eyes' to monitor and search.
Security investment on the port side
The port authorities of Martinique and Guadeloupe are also planning investments to improve security. CMA CGM is also actively working on this issue and states that it is aware of the risks. However, those involved are keeping a low profile with the media. This is because smugglers must not be allowed to know the details of the inspection system, and therefore the details of specific measures are not being disclosed.
This is an issue that could also become a reputational risk for large companies like CMA CGM. The company assured Clerima that it is aware of the risks related to drug trafficking and takes them very seriously, and that it is in discussions with the prefecture, customs, and the heads of the large ports regarding the security of the logistics chain. For example, the large port of Martinique plans to invest approximately 6 million euros (about 1.1 billion yen, calculated at 1 euro = 186.92 yen) over five years to strengthen infrastructure and introduce new cameras and surveillance drones. For customs officers suffering from labor shortages, these will be additional 'eyes'.
Impact on violence, public safety, and tourism on the islands
Such ports are not only supply bases for Europe. Drugs are also a direct challenge for Martinique and Guadeloupe.
In recent years, violence has intensified in both departments through retaliatory conflicts linked to drug trafficking. While the DZ Mafia is often discussed in mainland France, the Antilles also have very powerful gangs such as the Section Criminel and Chien Larry. Their violence often results in death. In 2025, 47 people died in Guadeloupe, an increase from 31 in 2024. In Martinique, 40 people died in 2025, up from 29 the previous year.
Given that both are small islands, with Guadeloupe's population being approximately 380,000, these are very high figures. It is currently estimated that there is one firearm for every ten residents in Guadeloupe, which is a massive number. Stakeholders in both departments share the concern that if drug trafficking expands in this region, the cycle of violence could accelerate.
Drug trafficking can also pose a risk to the development of the tourism industry. The region also faces issues such as sargassum (seaweed that washes ashore and releases a sulfurous odor when it rots, causing health risks) and chlordecone (a pesticide long used on banana plantations that contaminated many residents and workers). Since tourism is one of the main drivers of the economy in both departments, these challenges are being closely monitored by public authorities.
Health and security issues regarding local consumption
Drugs are also a health and security challenge for the Antilles. A recent report on Guadeloupe by the French Monitoring Centre for Drugs and Drug Addiction (OFDT) points out that cocaine is easily accessible and inexpensive on the island.
According to the agency, the majority of cocaine passing through the island is destined for Europe, but this location as a "rebound point" increases the availability of drugs on the island and keeps retail prices low. Drugs are provided at easily identifiable sales points, and several groups composed of Guadeloupean natives play a major role in bringing cocaine to the island. Alongside them are members of the Dominican, Haitian, and Venezuelan diasporas working for South American cartels and criminal organizations.
Crack (a cheap drug made from processed cocaine) is also very easy to obtain and is mainly consumed by the most impoverished segments of the population. On the other hand, cocaine is said to be used in festive settings and in some professional fields that require a demanding pace. The OFDT is particularly concerned about the lack of scale in the response system. It points to a shortage of hospital beds, a lack of recovery support and rehabilitation, and the difficulty of referring individuals to appropriate institutions.
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