DOUGLAS, Isle of Man, March 30, 2026, 18:22 BST
On Monday, diesel shot up roughly 50 pence a litre on the Isle of Man, reaching about 185.9 pence, after some forecourts ran out over the weekend, triggering lines of waiting motorists. Later in the day, deliveries started arriving again.
The flare-up shifted the narrative ministers were pushing last week—from a temporary price spike to real trouble getting fuel at the pump. Officials insisted physical supply wasn’t at risk. Still, a mix of bad weather and heavier demand left several stations running low ahead of Monday’s deliveries.
Spar, which operates five fuel stations on the island, reported that diesel was depleted at two locations and urged drivers with enough in the tank to postpone topping up until new stock came in. In certain spots, purchases were limited to 20 pounds. Unleaded petrol stayed on offer.
Shipping holdups played a major role. ITV reported a tanker scheduled to dock at Peel on March 27 was forced to wait off Port Soderick due to rough conditions. Manx Radio noted Ellan Vannin Fuels had a separate cargo—4.5 million litres—anchored offshore for days, finally set to come in overnight after weather disruptions. Over the weekend, a different tanker supplying Manx Petroleum was guided into Douglas.
The local market’s feeling the jump in prices, but it’s not uniform everywhere. Station Garage in Castletown bumped its diesel price to 185.9p a litre, a sharp rise from last week’s 137.9p. Over on Peel Road, Ellan Vannin Fuels held diesel steady at 137.9p on Monday but capped sales at 20 pounds per customer, saying they’ll announce new prices Wednesday.
The government says recent fuel deliveries are expected to help restore diesel stocks that took a hit from rough weather and a spell of heightened demand. Officials anticipate fuel prices will “stabilise by the middle of the week” and hold steady for about a month. Chief Minister Alfred Cannan is set for questions in the House of Keys on Tuesday, after cautioning last week that rising global oil prices would soon show up at local pumps and in home heating bills. Manx Radio
Diesel prices have been climbing right across Britain. Simon Williams, head of policy at the RAC, pointed out the UK average hit 181.2p a litre on Monday—levels last seen in December 2022. For drivers who have to keep moving, Williams said, the pressure “continues to build”. RAC Media Centre
Steve Gooding, director at the RAC Foundation, described diesel as “lifeblood of millions of small businesses” and said pricier fuel would spill into higher delivery and service charges, not just what drivers see at the pump. That squeeze is already biting on the Isle of Man, where some forecourts were running low even before Monday’s shipments docked. MarketScreener
Still, uncertainty hangs over the outlook. If weather holds things up again or oil prices tick higher, forecourt supply could remain squeezed beyond what officials are banking on. Ellan Vannin Fuels hasn’t locked in its final post-shipment price either, so another jump at the pumps is possible.
