Carbarn Malta gives buyers on the islands a direct route to Japanese used cars, from the auction hall in Japan to the port at Marsaxlokk. Carbarn owns each vehicle it lists, so the auction grade, the inspection report and the photographs on a listing all describe a car that is already Carbarn's, not another seller's offer.

Before a car can leave Japan for Malta it needs two certificates — Malta is the only Carbarn destination that asks for two. The first is an SVA certificate, issued by VCA in Nagoya. The second is a JEVIC certificate, which confirms the mileage showing on the clock. Carbarn arranges both before the car is loaded, so the paperwork travels with the car instead of being chased after it lands. Malta sets no maximum age for cars or vans, but the minimum registration tax rises with a car's age, which is why buyers here weigh a car's age against what it will cost to register, not only against its price.

Ships sail from Japan to Marsaxlokk once a month with K-Line, and the sea journey takes 40–45 days. Cars are driven on and off the ship, which is what RoRo (Roll-on/Roll-off) means. The stock that suits Maltese roads is small and right-hand drive — the Toyota Yaris, Corolla and Aqua, the Honda Jazz and Fit, the Nissan Note and the Suzuki Swift — sized for narrow village streets and short island journeys. When the car arrives, you clear it through the clearing agent of your choice and present it for registration with its Japanese export papers and both certificates.