<![CDATA[Large commercial vessels require substantial propulsion power, while conventional rigid-body analyses may overestimate the effectiveness of energy-saving devices by neglecting structural deformation under unsteady hydrodynamic loading. This study aimed to evaluate the coupled hydrodynamic and structural performance of selected energy-saving devices and determine their contribution to propulsive-efficiency improvement. A computational–experimental multiphysics approach integrated computational fluid dynamics, finite-element analysis, one-way and two-way fluid–structure interaction, modal and fatigue assessment, model-scale validation, off-design testing, and multi-objective optimization. Results showed that the selected hybrid device improved wake uniformity, weakened residual rotational flow, reduced hull-pressure fluctuations, and lowered delivered power by 7.31% at the design condition. Rigid CFD predicted an 8.20% reduction, indicating that structural flexibility caused a measurable loss of hydrodynamic benefit. Maximum deformation reached 18.6 mm, while local reinforcement reduced stress concentration and extended the estimated fatigue life from 11.8 to 22.6 years. Performance declined under slow-steaming, high-speed, and ballast conditions because of wake mismatch, increased appendage resistance, and greater deformation. The study concludes that reliable ESD design requires two-way hydroelastic assessment integrating efficiency, structural safety, vibration, fatigue resistance, and operational robustness across realistic vessel conditions. This integrated framework supports more accurate retrofit decisions and more credible fuel-saving projections for commercial shipping operations.]]>
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