Electric Ship Technologies has been identified by IEEE Technical Activities Board (TAB) as one of the 10 emerging technological challenges that cut across the fields of multiple IEEE societies as well as engineering societies outside IEEE. The goal of this integrated initiative is to enhance technological advances utilization for all related applications by combining advanced research and development accomplishments in universities and research laboratories with well established engineering practices and industrial standards. To promote this initiative; the bi-annual Electric Ship Technologies Symposium was established. Simultaneously, the IEEE Industry Applications, Power Engineering and Power Electronics societies sponsored formation of the working groups to accelerate revision of existing and development of the new IEEE standards for Electric Ship Technologies. IEEE PES formed a new Marine Systems Committee (MARSYS) to coordinate activities in the development of new standards for marine industry. Paper provides review of the ESTS symposiums and describes the status of the IEEE technical society’s standardization activities. It also reviews international standards applicable to ships.