Island logistics
The city sits on an island in the Laguna de Terminos, linked to the mainland by the 3.9 km Zacatal Bridge.
Ciudad del Carmen is a port city on Isla del Carmen in Campeche, and the main shore base for offshore oil activity in the Sonda de Campeche. The city had about 7,000 people in 1840, and the Carmen municipality had 221,094 at the 2010 census, second only to the state capital municipality in Campeche. 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.
Where things stand: the IS-04Z1 has not launched, and none of its four certification routes has produced a certificate yet. 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Level of protection | ia, ib or ic matched to the zone | ib, for Zone 1 |
| Entity parameters | Uo, Io and Po within the device limits | Published with the certificate |
| Accessories | Chargers and cases certified with the device | Defined at certification |
| 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.
The city sits on an island in the Laguna de Terminos, linked to the mainland by the 3.9 km Zacatal Bridge.
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 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.
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.
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.
Intrinsic safety limits the electrical and thermal energy in a circuit so that neither a spark nor a hot surface can ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even when a fault occurs. The ib level, used for Zone 1, tolerates one fault. It is the usual way to make a handheld device that a worker carries continuously through a hazardous area.
The IS-04Z1 is designed on this principle for Zone 1 and Zone 21 (marking target II 2 G Ex ib IIC T4). Intrinsic safety is a design basis, not a certificate: certification is in progress and none has been issued yet.
In Ciudad del Carmen. Many staff here work rotations on platforms and vessels, with a shore base on the island. A single intrinsically safe handheld can carry checklists, photos and permits through crew-change bases, terminal storage and platform decks. That mobility is why the IS-04Z1 is designed on that principle, subject to certification and operator acceptance.
A distributor for Ciudad del Carmen would carry the IS-04Z1 after certification completes; the Q4 2026 launch is the planning date and no appointment has been made. SAMS reviews applicants one by one and prefers companies with their own Ex-competent technical and service staff, since certified devices must not be repaired outside approved channels.
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.
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.
The circuits are designed to limit energy so a spark or hot surface cannot ignite a gas or dust atmosphere, even with one fault (level ib, Zone 1). Certification of that design is 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.