Abstract: ObjectivesThe aft hull lines of self-propelled cutter suction dredgers(CSD) with a positioning-type bow typically adopt either a twin deadwood or twin skeg, as different stern designs exhibit distinct flow field characteristics. For these two stern lines, including the bare hull and the duct-equipped case, a comparative analysis of the stern flow field and an evaluation of propeller excitation characteristics were conducted. MethodsBy CFD method, numerical validation was performed on the KVLCC2 standard model. Based on this, the two stern line designs were compared, focusing on their stern flow field properties, wake field uniformity, and the impact on propeller-induced vibrations. ResultsThe results indicate that, at the design speed, the twin deadwood plan is judged to be better than the twin skeg in terms of wake field uniformity, by 46.0% in terms of propeller excitation characteristics. Additionally, the duct integration improved propeller excitation characteristics by about 9.0% compared with bare hull. Conclusions These findings provided valuable insights for hull lines designing and propeller vibration assessment and optimization of similar vessel.