On 27 April 2010, US Supreme Court (Supreme Court) reversed the decision by the US Court of Appeals for the Second Circuit (Second Circuit) which had allowed plaintiff AnimalFeeds International Corp. (AnimalFeeds) to pursue arbitration on behalf of the proposed class of direct purchasers against several shipping companies over alleged price-fixing of parcel tanker shipping services. In Stolt-Nielsen S.A. v AnimalFeeds International Corp., the Supreme Court held that imposing class arbitration on parties without their consent conflicts with the central principle of the Federal Arbitration Act (FAA) that arbitration requires the consent of the parties.