Warm coastal climate
Daytime highs average about 28.5 C with around 1,215 mm of rain a year.
The 2022 census recorded 246,391 residents over about 1,217 km2, and the city is building a reputation for technical education, with UFRJ and UFF among the institutions teaching there. It is the operational base for the Campos Basin, with Petrobras facilities, offshore service companies, the Imbetiba port and an airport used for flights to offshore platforms. Distribution partners for Macae are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. Macae 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.
For the record, no certificate exists for the IS-04Z1 today. The programme is under way ahead of a Q4 2026 launch. A buyer's engineering review is separate from the certificate. Certification status. Place facts reviewed October 2026.
| Check | What to look for | IS-04Z1 today |
|---|---|---|
| Zone | 0, 1 or 2 for gas; 20, 21 or 22 for dust | Designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 |
| Gas group | IIA, IIB or IIC | IIC (target) |
| Area drawing | The operator's own classification drawing | Decided by the site operator |
| Where it applies | Macae: Workshops handling offshore equipment, Onshore oil and gas handling, Offshore supply bases and quays | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Macaé. 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.
Daytime highs average about 28.5 C with around 1,215 mm of rain a year.
The city is home to Petrobras' Campos Basin operations and, per local sources, over 3,500 oil and gas companies.
Benedito Lacerda Airport has scheduled flights but is mainly used to concentrate operations to offshore platforms, so helicopter transfers are part of daily working life.
Macae is generally considered the centre of Brazil's offshore petroleum industry and is nicknamed Cidade do Petroleo (City of Petroleum), with many Petrobras facilities inside the town.
Macae Airport now has six helicopter operators meeting the safety standards Petrobras requires, with seven hangars, four shared lounges and a workspace area in the check-in hall.
Since the 1970s, when Petrobras chose Macae as its Campos Basin base, more than 4,000 companies have set up offices there and the population has roughly tripled.
A hazardous area is a place where flammable gas, vapour or combustible dust may be present. Standards divide these into zones: Zones 0, 1 and 2 for gas and vapour, and Zones 20, 21 and 22 for dust. Zone 1 and Zone 21 are the tier where an explosive atmosphere is likely to occur in normal operation, which is where the IS-04Z1 is designed to work. Anything carried in must be marked for the zone, gas group and temperature class of the area.
No certificate has been issued for the IS-04Z1 yet, so it must not be taken into a classified area until the certificate covering it exists and the site operator has accepted it.
In Macae. Macae's classified areas are mainly offshore supply bases and quays, heliport and fuel storage, workshops handling offshore equipment, and onshore oil and gas handling. Each facility operator classifies its own area; SAMS does not. The city is a support hub rather than a production site.
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for Macae. Each application is reviewed on its merits. Because opening a certified Ex handset in an ordinary workshop invalidates its certificate, the partner must be able to support and service the device 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.
There is no list price yet. SAMS gives indicative pre-launch pricing in writing, against a stated quantity and site, and does not commit to a lead time before certification completes.
Zone 1 and Zone 21 (gas and dust) with gas group IIC and temperature class T4, subject to certification. It must not be used in a classified area before its certificate is issued and the site has accepted it.
Likely candidates are offshore supply bases and quays, heliport and fuel storage, workshops handling offshore equipment, onshore oil and gas handling. 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 Macae.
The coast is humid and salty, so expect corrosion and condensation on connectors and cases. Choose sealed housings, rinse and dry equipment after offshore trips, and ask the contractor about storage conditions at the heliport and base.
Courses are delivered by operators, specialised training centres and the city's technical institutions, and platform inductions are set by the operator. Confirm which course certificates your crew need and whether device handling is covered in the induction.
That is a common practice, since equipment is often bought, prepared and serviced here before shipment. Enrolment, configuration and charging can be done onshore in safe areas. Confirm the offshore operator's approval and documentation requirements before sending anything out.
Related guides for Macaé and for Brazil.
Share the site details and quantity. You will get the datasheet and the certification schedule back by email; pricing is indicative only until launch.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.