Controversial new research has pointed the finger at Asian vessels as being responsible for the most ocean pollution.
The University of Cape Town in South Africa said merchant shipping is probably responsible for a steep rise in the number of plastic bottles littering the world's seas.
And Asian vessels are particularly to blame, the Benzinga website reported.
It had been "widely assumed" that 80% of marine plastic waste came from the shore, but the researchers said there was little evidence for this.
