With the fast development of power electronics techniques, electrification of shipboard power systems (SPS) is an unstoppable trend, and the concepts of electric ships (ESs) and all-electric ships (AESs) emerge. In order to meet the constantly increasing electricity demand in SPS, the medium voltage direct current (MVDC) SPS becomes a promising shipboard electrical network architecture. This paper aims to present a comprehensive review of the design, control, power management, system stability and reliability in ESs. The most recent technologies and academic achievements in these fields are discussed. In the near future, it is possible that the electric propulsion technology will be widely applied to various types of ships.