The use of electric drives for large ship propulsion is a spreading trend in today’s marine industry thanks to the benefits it brings not only in dynamic performance and noise reduction but also from an environmental and energy-saving viewpoint. In fact, using electric motors enables to operate on-board prime movers (diesel engines above all) close to their maximum efficiency point, thus significantly reducing fuel consumption and polluting emissions. The paper presents an overview of state-of-the-art high-power electric propulsion drives used on large ships, with particular regard to cruise liners, mega-yachts and naval vessels.