Maldive Gas halves household cylinder fills again as supply pressure returns

Maldive Gas has again tightened cooking gas sales, with Adhadhu reporting that standard 10kg cylinders are now being sold with only 5kg of gas for MVR 100, while new customer registrations have been temporarily suspended. The move points to renewed pressure on domestic LPG supply at a time when the wider Middle East conflict continues to raise concern over fuel and gas logistics across the region.

The latest cutback comes only weeks after authorities said the earlier disruption had eased. In early February, STO said Maldive Gas was selling 7kg fills in place of normal 10kg cylinders because of regional and global supply constraints, before announcing on 17 February that a new shipment had arrived and normal 10kg sales had resumed. That recovery now appears to have been short-lived.

The renewed controls also stand in contrast to recent official assurances. On 2 March, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said there was no indication the Maldives would face shortages of food or fuel as a result of the conflict. Local media also reported that the government maintained there would be no interruption to LPG availability, even as markets remained under strain.

Since then, the administration has shifted toward a more defensive tone. At a Special Cabinet Committee briefing on 12 March, ministers said the government was looking at alternative supply arrangements, diversification of sourcing countries and other measures to protect national fuel security. Those remarks reflected an underlying reality, the Maldives remains heavily dependent on imported fuel and cooking gas, with limited room to absorb repeated external shocks.

This is also not the first disruption this year. During the February shortage, STO said the rationing was temporary and would be resolved soon, while local reports described delays, reduced fills and pressure on distribution. Earlier in January, the gas supply chain had already come under scrutiny after procurement problems and concerns over Maldive Gas’s purchasing arrangements, an issue examined in reporting on a lost advance payment and vendor approval concerns.

For households, the practical effect is immediate. A cylinder that would normally last longer now runs out much faster, forcing more frequent purchases and adding another layer of uncertainty to the cost of living. For the government, the return of rationing is likely to intensify questions over stockholding, procurement resilience and whether public reassurance has kept pace with the strain now visible in the market.

Maldive Gas has again tightened cooking gas sales, with Adhadhu reporting that standard 10kg cylinders are now being sold with only 5kg of gas for MVR 100, while new customer registrations have been temporarily suspended. The move points to renewed pressure on domestic LPG supply at a time when the wider Middle East conflict continues to raise concern over fuel and gas logistics across the region.

The latest cutback comes only weeks after authorities said the earlier disruption had eased. In early February, STO said Maldive Gas was selling 7kg fills in place of normal 10kg cylinders because of regional and global supply constraints, before announcing on 17 February that a new shipment had arrived and normal 10kg sales had resumed. That recovery now appears to have been short-lived.

The renewed controls also stand in contrast to recent official assurances. On 2 March, President Dr Mohamed Muizzu said there was no indication the Maldives would face shortages of food or fuel as a result of the conflict. Local media also reported that the government maintained there would be no interruption to LPG availability, even as markets remained under strain.

Since then, the administration has shifted toward a more defensive tone. At a Special Cabinet Committee briefing on 12 March, ministers said the government was looking at alternative supply arrangements, diversification of sourcing countries and other measures to protect national fuel security. Those remarks reflected an underlying reality, the Maldives remains heavily dependent on imported fuel and cooking gas, with limited room to absorb repeated external shocks.

This is also not the first disruption this year. During the February shortage, STO said the rationing was temporary and would be resolved soon, while local reports described delays, reduced fills and pressure on distribution. Earlier in January, the gas supply chain had already come under scrutiny after procurement problems and concerns over Maldive Gas’s purchasing arrangements, an issue examined in reporting on a lost advance payment and vendor approval concerns.

For households, the practical effect is immediate. A cylinder that would normally last longer now runs out much faster, forcing more frequent purchases and adding another layer of uncertainty to the cost of living. For the government, the return of rationing is likely to intensify questions over stockholding, procurement resilience and whether public reassurance has kept pace with the strain now visible in the market.