Shiyam says fishermen will face no fuel shortages despite Middle East conflict

Fisheries Minister Ahmed Shiyam says fishermen will face no difficulty obtaining fuel despite global market volatility caused by the ongoing conflict in the Middle East.

Speaking at a press conference at the President’s Office on Tuesday, Shiyam said the unrest in the region has triggered major shocks in the agricultural sector and driven up energy‑related expenditure worldwide. Even so, he said the government has ensured uninterrupted access to affordable fuel for fishermen.

According to the minister, facilitating access to the seas remains a top priority for the administration, and the fishing industry has continued without disruption under the concessions introduced in February last year.

Fuel is being supplied through STO and Fuel Supply Maldives (FSM) based on requests from fishermen, he said, adding that vessels across the country can now obtain fuel at STO rates.

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“This is a very special priority for fishermen by the government, especially the President, who is working specifically to ease fuel prices so fishermen can go out to sea, and we ensure that properly,” Shiyam said.

Citing statistics, he noted that 2.5 million litres of fuel have been distributed to 1,832 vessels since February last year.

Under the current policy, vessels above 85 feet receive 5,000 litres, vessels between 50 and 85 feet receive 3,000 litres, and vessels below 50 feet receive 1,500 litres.