Abstract: In a supercharged marine diesel engine having at least one exhaust-gas turbocharger (6, 7) and a separate utility turbine (12) which is connected in parallel with the supercharging turbine (7) and delivers power, and having at least one auxiliary diesel engine (10) which is supercharged by means of a turbocharger and which drives a synchronous generator (11) supplying the ship's electrical system with electrical energy, the utility turbine (12) is coupled to a free shaft end of the auxiliary diesel/generator unit (10, 11). In this way, the auxiliary diesel engine (10) can be relieved of load, which results in a considerable fuel saving. In order to maintain a positive scavenging gradient when the auxiliary diesel engine (10) is relieved of load, a small portion of the exhaust gases of the marine diesel engine (2) is conveyed to a point upstream of the supercharging turbine (19) of the auxiliary diesel engine (10).