During the initial stage of propulsion shaft design, the shaft alignment process includes a thorough consideration of lateral vibration to verify the operational safety of the shaft. However, a theoretical method for analyzing forced lateral vibrations has not been clearly established. The methods currently used in classification societies and international standards can only ensure a sufficient margin to avoid the blade-passing frequency resonance speed outside the range of ${\pm}20%$ of the maximum continuous rating (MCR) for the engine. Typically, in shaft alignment analyses, longer center distances between the support bearings promote affirmative results, but the blade order resonance speed can approach the lower limit for lateral vibration. Therefore, this matter requires careful attention by engineers, and a verification of the theoretical analysis by experimental measurements is highly desirable. In this study, both theoretical and experimental analyses were conducted using strain gauges under two draught conditions of vessels used as 50,000-DWT oil/chemical tankers, introduced recently as eco-friendly ships. Based on the analyses, the influence of the lateral vibration on the shafting system and the system's reliability was reviewed.