Combustion engine-driven generator sets remain essential in many battery-electric propulsion systems. However, they are no longer just for the traditional provision of auxiliary electricity or primary propulsion. The role of gensets has evolved to include tasks such as emergency backup power, range extension, and/or hybrid operation. In addition, DC grid electrical architectures have eliminated the constraint of fixed nominal generator frequencies, creating substantial opportunities for the optimization of both power density and fuel efficiency. This presentation examines how the integration of electrification technologies with strategically deployed combustion gensets, increasingly fuelled by renewable sources such as HVO or Methanol, and using smart concepts such as variable speed and permanent magnet generators, can provide a pragmatic pathway toward maritime decarbonization while maintaining operational flexibility and safety redundancy.