News Desk
Fishermen across the Maldives will now be able to purchase fuel at STO prices through Fuel Supply Maldives sheds established in every province, Fisheries, Agriculture and Marine Resources Minister Ahmed Shiyam said on Tuesday.
Speaking at a Cabinet Committee press conference on the impact of the Middle East war, Shiyam said the network was set up specifically to ensure fishermen were not paying more than the STO rate regardless of which atoll they operate from. President Muizzu inaugurated the FSM fuel sheds across all atolls on 10 December 2025, on Fishermen’s Day. Sheds have since been established in almost all atolls.
Since the government introduced the fuel subsidy for fishermen in response to the Middle East conflict, the sheds have issued 2.5 million litres of subsidised fuel to 1,832 vessels.
Shiyam was candid about the gaps. Fuel is not yet consistently available at every shed, and logistical challenges in the delivery network that existed when the system was first established have not been fully resolved. “Almost all these atolls are now receiving oil. When oil is available, STO also has challenges in timely delivery of oil to these sheds,” he said. He confirmed STO is working to address the supply and delivery problems.
