South Carolina's export development team can help companies of all sizes identify potential markets and customers for their products and services through a number of proven export services.

• The South Carolina Department of Commerce has four international offices:
  • SC European Office in Munich, Germany
  • SC Japan Office in Tokyo
  • SC China Office in Shanghai
  • SC Canadian Office in Toronto, Ontario
• Approximately 70 firms in the Charleston region are owned by parent companies outside the United States.
• These firms represent about 20 countries and locally employ around 10,700.
• South Carolina has the highest percentage of citizens working for internationally owned companies in the nation.

View list of top international employers

The South Carolina World Trade Center (SCWTC), headquartered in greater Charleston, is advancing South Carolina's economy through the development and growth of international trade. The SCWTC is part of the World Trade Centers Association, representing nearly 300 cities in 90 countries. The SCWTC is ranked among the association's top centers.

• Assists companies with issues related to both imports and exports
• Promotes foreign trade opportunities via a highly active trade missions program
• Provides education in the fields of importing, exporting and international business relations
• Fosters international relations through hosting foreign visitors, participating in tradeshows and conducting trade missions

• The Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina (about 100 miles from Charleston) offers the nation's top graduate and undergraduate programs in international business, according to US News & World Report.
• The Center for International Education at the College of Charleston teaches students to address the challenges of an increasingly global market environment.
• Trident Technical College offers associate degree programs in both international business and transportation/logistics. The college's International Education Office and Resource Center serves as an information resource for issues of global interest.
• Through the globalMARKETS program, South Carolina high school students are introduced to the global economy, world cultures and careers in international trade.

Companies involved in international trade can take advantage of nearly a dozen general-purpose sites within Foreign Trade Zone 21, comprising almost 8,000 acres (3,238 hectares) of space. The South Carolina State Ports Authority serves as the grantee of FTZ 21.

FTZs are restricted-access sites that allow businesses to store and process goods or raw materials duty and quota free until they're transported into the Customs territory of the United States or into another NAFTA country (Canada and Mexico).

The region's FTZ sites are conveniently located near the Port of Charleston, the most productive port in North America. The sites also allow for easy access to the region's expedient rail system and highway network.

• The South Carolina Department of Commerce offers a comprehensive list of International Trade Resource links.
• The Trade Resource Guide from the South Carolina World Trade Center provides links to numerous trade-related organizations.
• The Port of Charleston's website includes a Directory of Transportation & Trade Services, a comprehensive guide to local trade and transportation-related services.
• The South Carolina Export Consortium helps South Carolina's small- to mid-sized companies with export market studies, consulting services, problem solving and on-site training.