In 1997, Maine had 2,084 wholesale establishments with $8 billion in sales. Retail sales totaled $13 billion in 1997, from 9,528 establishments. Food stores accounted for 15% of establishments; automotive dealers, 14%; and eating and drinking places, 27%. Earnings from food sales came to $2.6 billion, while sales of general merchandise came to $1.2 billion.
Maine has shipping facilities located in Portland, Searsport, and Eastport. Exports from Maine totaled $1.8 billion in 1998. Exports reached over $2 billion in 1999. Maine's largest trading partners are Canada, Singapore, Malaysia, Japan, and the UK. The biggest export items in order of importance were electronics and electrical equipment, paper and allied products, and lumber and wood products.