This paper is devoted to the problems of feedback control laws design based on the optimization approach for marine vehicles. To provide desirable stability and performance features of nonlinear and nonautonomous closed-loop connections, it is proposed to construct design procedures using the optimal damping concept firstly developed by V.I. Zubov. Central attention is focused on the questions connected with practical implementation of the optimal damping methods for marine control systems. As an example, tracking problem is considered based on optimal damping control laws.