The State Trading Organisation (STO) has announced that a new shipment of gas has arrived.
STO said in a statement that a new shipment of gas has been brought to Maldives and with its arrival, existing shortages have been addressed. With the shipment, 10kg gas cylinders will now be available to the public through Maldives Gas. Last week, Maldive Gas was selling gas in limited quantities due to increased demand. In this regard, discounted 5kg gas cylinders were being sold in substitution of 10kg gas cylinders. However, with the new shipment, the service has resumed as before.
Global fuel and gas prices have risen sharply due to the ongoing conflict in the Middle East. Petrol and diesel imported into the Maldives are high-grade refined fuels, and local prices for these products have also risen significantly. As a result, concerns have been raised by the public over possible disruptions to fuel availability. However, STO said there is currently no shortage of fuel despite public concerns, and they are working to ensure continuous supply of these essentials. On this basis, STO has already received a new shipment of fuel on 21 March.
Furthermore, the government has unveiled a strategic initiative to construct a long-term national fuel reserve designed to insulate the island nation from global price volatility and supply chain disruptions. The administration has stated that these facilities will be distributed across three regions to ensure operational resilience and aims to maintain a supply sufficient to meet national demand for an entire year.