The safety hazard and economic losses caused by marine corrosion have posed major challenges in shipping. With the introduction of relevant laws and regulations that require the shipping industry to improve the cleaning needs of ships and monitor their corroded parts, the issues of low efficiency, low precision, varying degrees of substrate damage, chemical pollution, resource waste, and occupational hazards of traditional rust removal have become prominent. Laser derusting technology is a noncontact green derusting method with the advantages of high efficiency, low costs, and automation. This paper introduces the research status of laser rust removal techniques and describes the typical laser rust removal methods and mechanisms, the combined application of laser derusting, and other related technologies. The development prospects of laser derusting technology in shipping is presented. The findings afford a reference for the future application of laser derusting technology in ships.