<p>Shipping is a crucial sector for the globalized economy, as it entails the catalyst that for decades has been able to take advantage of the low labour costs of the East and provide mobility in an albeit low velocity but cost-effective manner towards the plethora of consignees in the numerous centres of consumption in the West. At the same time, due to an array of external costs, the shipping sector is struggling to provide sustainable services, and here, maritime technology plays a crucial role, as the advent of sustainability is uniquely dependent on the latter. Maritime technology has taken advantage of novel developments, but it is not clear which trends and pathways research has clustered into, and which combinations of technologies are stronger advocates of sustainable operations. Within this context, it is important to document the evolution of ship propulsion technologies. This paper makes use of bibliometric analysis through open-code instruments and robust statistical treatment to document the evolution of marine technologies for propulsion over the past quarter century. The results uncover distinct clusters of marine technologies that can be of particular interest for academia and practice, as the pairing of these portrays relevant directions that can be sought after, as well as technologies that should be considered in tandem. This research is important as distinct areas of development that have surfaced through the present work can be utilised to provide a benchmark for policy and practice to attain clearer directions and guidance in their quest for sustainable operations.</p>