Expansion plans
Further trains have been proposed as a possible second phase, so construction and commissioning activity may continue.
The second phase is an 18 billion dollar liquefaction and storage plant in the port of Kitimat, where natural gas is cooled to liquid and stored awaiting shipment. Gas handling, liquefaction and ship loading create Zone 1 and Zone 2 areas. Distribution partners for LNG Canada, Kitimat are being identified ahead of the Q4 2026 launch of the IS-04Z1.
Pre-launch · certification in progress · Launching Q4 2026
Short answer. LNG Canada, Kitimat 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.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. Operator approval runs on its own timeline. 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 | LNG Canada, Kitimat: Gas receipt from pipeline, Marine loading jetty, LNG liquefaction trains | Classified by the site operator |

An intrinsically safe Android smartphone designed for Zone 1 and Zone 21 hazardous areas in Kitimat LNG. 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.
Further trains have been proposed as a possible second phase, so construction and commissioning activity may continue.
The plant produced its first LNG and shipped its first cargo in June 2025; the second train was reported to begin operating in November 2025.
The terminal was designed with two liquefaction trains totalling 14 million tonnes per year, with the option of two more trains to raise capacity to 26 million tonnes per year.
Engineering and construction supervision was awarded to a joint venture of JGC Corporation of Japan and Fluor Corporation, called JGC Fluor, which shaped the contractor structure on site.
LNG carriers sail up and down the Douglas Channel to the port of Kitimat to load, mainly for Asian markets, using a new carrier terminal connected to the liquefaction and storage plant.
The plant produced its first LNG and shipped its first cargo in June 2025, the second train started in November 2025 and by 23 February 2026 it had shipped 50 cargoes.
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 LNG Canada, Kitimat. Classified locations at the terminal include liquefaction trains, LNG storage and loading, gas receipt from the pipeline and the marine loading jetty. The operator classifies them and holds the drawings. SAMS does not classify areas, so a specifier should request the area classification data from the plant owner.
Distribution of the IS-04Z1 is by authorised partners only, and SAMS has not yet granted a territory for LNG Canada, Kitimat. 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 today. Until the certificates are issued the IS-04Z1 stays out of classified areas, and until launch there is nothing to purchase. You can ask for the datasheet and the certification schedule, or book a safe-area evaluation unit.
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 lng liquefaction trains, lng storage and loading, gas receipt from pipeline, marine loading jetty. 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 LNG Canada, Kitimat.
It shipped its first cargo in June 2025 and a second train started later that year, so work is moving from construction to operations, with expansion discussed. Confirm the current phase and contractor structure with the owners.
JGC Fluor led engineering and construction, and TC Energy built the Coastal GasLink pipeline. Operations contractors now vary, so confirm the current inductions and approved-device lists with LNG Canada's contractor management team.
The plant produced its first LNG and shipped its first cargo in June 2025, and the second train was reported to begin operating in November 2025. Further trains have been proposed as a possible second phase, so construction and commissioning activity may continue. Confirm current status with the project operator.
Other guides for Kitimat LNG, other places in Canada, 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.
Tell us the zone, gas group and operator. We will send the datasheet and the certification schedule.