Ship powertrain hybridization is receiving more attention thanks to potential benefits in terms of fuel consumption and emissions. The effectiveness of these solutions strongly depends on optimal ship and control design, taking into account the context of operation. The employment of hybrid diesel-electric ferries was identified as a solution to poor air quality in the lagoon of Venice, especially because of the critical values of NOx and HC registered in the last decades. In this thesis, an optimal energy management strategy for a series hybrid waterbus was investigated using a dynamic programming-based (DP) optimization algorithm. A simulation model was developed using a quasi-static approach for a series hybrid powertrain featuring two electric motors coupled to two propellers, three diesel-powered generator sets, and a LiFePO4 battery pack.