Ports and free zones
Hamriyah Free Zone, established in 1995, has a 14 m deep port, and Sharjah is the only emirate with ports on both the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman coasts. Classified areas are spread across many small tenants.
Sharjah's hydrocarbon work is run by Sharjah National Oil Corporation (SNOC), whose midstream operations include the Sajaa gas processing plant, export and import terminals and a pipeline network. Sharjah city covers about 235 square km with more than 1.8 million residents, and it is the third most populous city in the UAE. If you are specifying a hazardous area mobile phone for Sharjah, this page covers the markings, the approvals and the current certification status of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. The SAMS IS-04Z1 is the intrinsically safe smartphone covered here for Sharjah: pre-launch, designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target Ex ib IIC T4), with certification in progress and no certificate issued.
Current position: certification in progress, nothing issued, launch targeted for Q4 2026. An operator's own vendor approval is a separate step. 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 | Sharjah: Gas processing plant, Gas and condensate pipelines and storage, Marine terminals | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Sharjah. It is pre-launch: IECEx, ATEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress ahead of the Q4 2026 launch.
The companies on site and the hazardous-area types a handset is likely to meet there.
Hamriyah Free Zone, established in 1995, has a 14 m deep port, and Sharjah is the only emirate with ports on both the Arabian Gulf and Gulf of Oman coasts. Classified areas are spread across many small tenants.
Hot, humid climate with high summer temperatures.
Gulftainer manages Sharjah Container Terminal, Khorfakkan Commercial Terminal and the Sharjah and Sajaa dry ports, so port and yard rules vary by terminal.
UAE handsets need federal type approval, which accepts European documents; certificates are renewed every three years and the new type approval mark applies from 2023.
The city is a centre for industry and contributes about 7.4 per cent of the UAE's GDP, so industrial sites are numerous and varied.
The emirate has three major seaports, Port Khalid, Hamriyah Port and Khorfakkan Port, the last on the Gulf of Oman coast.
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 Sharjah. Sharjah's classified areas include the gas processing plant, gas and condensate pipelines and storage, and port fuel handling. Classified areas at industrial sites are smaller than in Abu Dhabi. SNOC and free-zone tenants classify their own areas, not SAMS.
A short checklist for anyone writing or reviewing the specification, with the IS-04Z1 status against each point.
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 gas processing plant, gas and condensate pipelines and storage, marine terminals, port fuel handling. Which areas are classified, and to what zone, is set by the site operator's own area classification drawings.
Not exactly. Explosion proof is a broad everyday term; intrinsic safety is one protection concept, which limits energy so ignition cannot occur. Flameproof (Ex d) is a different concept that contains an explosion. The IS-04Z1 is intrinsically safe by design.
Both. Sharjah's gas processing and storage are run by the emirate's national oil company, while many smaller factories, ports and free zones add classified areas on a smaller scale. Check each tenant's rules, as Sharjah has no single operator for everything.
By the E11 Al Ittihad Road or the E611 Emirates Road, both of which connect the two cities and are often busy. Allow extra time in peak hours, and book site access in advance, since many industrial estates and ports require passes.
SNOC and free-zone tenants set their own equipment requirements, and SAIF Zone alone hosts more than 6,000 companies. There is no single rule for every site. Ask the specific tenant or operator's HSE team what evidence a phone needs before use in a classified area.
Other guides for Sharjah, other places in United Arab Emirates, and the pages behind them.
Tell us what you need to equip and where. The SAMS team answers by email with the datasheet and where each certification route stands.
Send the zone and gas group of your site and we will reply with the datasheet and schedule.