System identification combined with free-running model tests or full-scale trials is one of the effective methods to determine the hydrodynamic coefficients in the mathematical models of ship maneuvering motion. By analyzing the available data, including rudder angle, surge speed, sway speed, yaw rate, and so forth, a method based on support vector machines (SVM) to estimate the hydrodynamic coefficients is proposed for conventional surface ships. The coefficients are contained in the expansion of the inner product of a linear kernel function. Predictions of maneuvering motion are conducted by using the parameters identified. The results of identification and simulation demonstrate the validity of the identification algorithm proposed. The simultaneous drift and multicollinearity are diminished by introducing an additional ramp signal to the training samples. Comparison between the simulated and predicted motion variables from different maneuvers shows good predictive ability of the trained SVM.