(Updates to add Shell's comment in the fourth paragraph)

Shell (SHEL) has lost a legal battle with environmental activists over an oil exploration campaign off South Africa's Wild Coast, Bloomberg reported Friday.

The Constitutional Court ruled that the exploration right cannot be renewed, Bloomberg said.

The report said the five-year legal dispute began in 2021, when activists challenged Shell's planned seismic survey over concerns about community consultation and potential impacts on marine life.

"South Africa is currently reliant on energy imports for many of its energy needs. Should viable resources be found offshore, this could significantly contribute to South Africa's energy security and the Government's economic development programmes." Shell told MT Newswires.

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