Just as the Amazon Warrior, a vessel that was to conduct a seismic survey off the Wild Coast on behalf of Shell, left South Africa, attention is now focused on another planned survey, this time off the West Coast. In December, the Makhanda High Court granted an interim interdict to halt Shell’s seismic survey – pending a court ruling on whether the company requires fresh environmental authorisation, Fin24 previously reported. Judge Gerald Bloem said that evidence presented showed there is a "real threat that the marine life would be irreparably harmed by the seismic survey." He also took aim at the public consultation process followed in the granting of the exploration right, describing it as "flawed," "unlawful and invalid."