Offshore support hub
The city is home to Petrobras' Campos Basin operations and, per local sources, over 3,500 oil and gas companies.
Macae is a city in the north of Rio de Janeiro state, known as Brazil's national oil capital. 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. An IECEx mobile phone distributor in Macae would carry the IS-04Z1 to these buyers once certification completes.
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.
Status: pre-launch. IECEx, ATEX, UKEX and NEC 500 certification is in progress and no certificate has been issued; launch is planned for Q4 2026. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate of conformity | Number checkable on the IECEx online register | In progress; not issued |
| Standards edition | The IEC 60079 edition the certificate cites | Stated on the certificate when issued |
| Schedule of conditions | Limits of use, batteries and accessories | Published with the certificate |
| 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.
Who operates there and which kinds of classified area a handset would meet, from the SAMS site research.
The city is home to Petrobras' Campos Basin operations and, per local sources, over 3,500 oil and gas companies.
With so many contractors based locally, equipment is often bought, prepared and serviced here before shipment offshore.
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.
An airport spotting guide reports about 2,000 helicopter operations a month, around 60 to 70 a day, mostly medium and heavy helicopters, plus two daily scheduled airline flights.
IECEx is the international scheme for certifying equipment used in explosive atmospheres. A certificate of conformity is issued by an accredited certification body against a specific edition of the IEC 60079 standards and carries a schedule of conditions of safe use. It is not a legal requirement in most countries on its own, but many national schemes accept it as the technical basis.
The IECEx certificate for the IS-04Z1 is in progress and has not been issued. The marking target is Ex ib IIC T4, the intrinsic safety concept for Zone 1 gas with the hardest gas group (IIC) and a 135 °C temperature class.
In Macae. With a large number of oil and gas companies based locally, many of them international service firms, IECEx certificates of conformity and schedules of conditions are familiar here. Brazilian practice also involves Inmetro-accredited routes. The IS-04Z1 IECEx certification is in progress.
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.
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.
No. The IECEx certificate is in progress and has not been issued. SAMS will publish the number when it exists.
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.
Other guides for Macaé, other places in Brazil, 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.
Name the site and the operator and we will send what is available before launch.