Tropical weather
There is a dry season from January to May and heavy rain later in the year; Gulf hurricane season can disrupt crew changes and sea transport.
Pemex's exploration of the Campeche Basin in the early 1970s led to the Cantarell field, about 70 km from Ciudad del Carmen, which supplied 63.2 per cent of Mexico's crude at its 2004 peak before declining. Pemex operates a maritime terminal here, so classified-area work is at port facilities and offshore platforms supplied from the island. Distribution partners for Ciudad del Carmen are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Ciudad del Carmen has no appointed SAMS distributor yet: the IS-04Z1 is pre-launch (certification in progress, no certificate issued, launch planned for Q4 2026), and distributor applications are open.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Protection concept | Flameproof (Ex d) or intrinsic safety (Ex i) | Intrinsic safety, level ib |
| Zone suitability | Zone 1 gas and Zone 21 dust | Design target for Zone 1 and 21 |
| Certificate | Number, issuing body and schedule of conditions | In progress; not issued |
| Where it applies | Ciudad del Carmen: Marine terminal and storage, Offshore production platforms, Supply-vessel and crew-change bases | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Ciudad del Carmen. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
A short profile of the site and the kinds of classified area that matter for portable equipment.
There is a dry season from January to May and heavy rain later in the year; Gulf hurricane season can disrupt crew changes and sea transport.
The Sonda de Campeche, with the Cantarell field, lies roughly 85 km offshore, so many staff here work rotations on platforms and vessels.
The Puente del Zacatal, built in 1994, is one of the longest bridges in Latin America and is a key road link for the island city.
The city lies on Isla del Carmen at the western edge of the Yucatan Peninsula and has been part of the state of Campeche since 1863.
Carmen was granted port status in 1841 because of its maritime trade and was made a city in 1856; earlier centuries saw it used as a port for repairing ships.
The Ku-Maloob-Zaap area lies about 107 km north-east of Ciudad del Carmen and was described as Mexico's largest oil producer, so offshore activity is centred north-east of the city.
“Explosion proof” is the phrase most buyers use for equipment that may be taken into a classified hazardous area. Strictly, it covers several protection concepts: a flameproof enclosure (Ex d) contains an internal explosion, while intrinsic safety (Ex i) limits electrical energy so that an ignition cannot start. Phones are normally intrinsically safe, because a flameproof handset would be too heavy to carry all shift.
The IS-04Z1 uses intrinsic safety, with a marking target of Ex ib IIC T4, and is designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21. It is pre-launch, certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued.
In Ciudad del Carmen. On offshore platforms and at the island's marine terminal, explosion-proof is everyday language. Fixed lighting and motors may be flameproof Ex d, while a phone used on crew changes, vessel work and platform rounds relies on intrinsic safety. The IS-04Z1 is designed around intrinsic safety for that portable role.
SAMS is appointing authorised distributors ahead of the Q4 2026 launch. No territory has been granted for Ciudad del Carmen yet and applications are reviewed company by company. Because a certified Ex device cannot be opened by an ordinary phone workshop without invalidating its certificate, SAMS looks for partners who can provide competent technical support and after-sales service locally.
Not yet. The IS-04Z1 is pre-launch and its certification is still in progress ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. No unit goes into a classified area before the certificate covering it exists. The datasheet, the certification schedule and safe-area evaluation units are available now.
SAMS has not published a price. Any figure you are offered for an uncertified Ex phone should be treated with caution; written indicative pricing is available for a defined quantity and site.
It is intrinsically safe (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), which is the usual way to make a phone for hazardous areas. It is not a flameproof (Ex d) design, and certification is still in progress.
Likely candidates are marine terminal and storage, offshore production platforms, supply-vessel and crew-change bases. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Apply through the distributor page with your company details and the territory you cover. SAMS reviews applications company by company and has not yet granted a territory for Ciudad del Carmen.
Typically yes: heat, humidity and salt air are the main concerns, so sealed, corrosion-resistant devices are sensible. Confirm operator guidance on ingress protection and temperature class.
Mexico has its own conformity framework, and operators often also accept IECEx or ATEX marking. Requirements change, so confirm with the operator and a local certification adviser before shipping.
Only if its marking suits the zone and gas group at each location, as classified by the operator. Offshore platforms and onshore terminals may differ. Check each area's classification and the certificate conditions before moving a device between them.
More on Ciudad del Carmen, and on other places in Mexico.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.