In this paper, the effect of a significant phenomenon in fluid-structure interaction (FSI), known as vortex-induced
vibrations (VIV), is numerically investigated for two fully submerged cylinders located near the free surface. The
Volume of Fluid (VOF) method is used to track the free surface. The study is conducted for a range of reduced
velocities from 2 to 14, Froude numbers of 0.3 and 1, and different distances between cylinders. The impact of
the free surface, cylinder vibrations on vortex patterns, hydrodynamic characteristics, and the vibrational
response of cylinders are studied. Findings indicate that the rear cylinder generally exhibits greater inline and
transverse displacement amplitudes, along with more significant variations in lift and drag coefficients compared
to the front cylinder. An increase in the Froude number contributes to free surface instability and suppresses
vortex shedding. Furthermore, increasing the distance between the cylinders amplifies free surface instability
and vortex interactions, underscoring the relevance of these factors for engineering applications in marine
environments.