Hawse Pipe
Tube through which the anchor chain runs from windlass to the side of the bow.
In practice
Inspected at every drydock; the area immediately above the hawsepipe is corrosion-prone due to chain-stripper wear and salt-water spray.
Regulatory detail & full definition
Tube passing through the bow shell from windlass to the side of the bow, through which the anchor chain runs. The hawsepipe must be fair-led at angles that avoid chain damage, sized for the anchor head to stow flush, and provided with chain pipes from the windlass to the chain locker. Class rules under IACS Common Structural Rules cover the local plating thickness because the hawsepipe is a fatigue-prone area. The hawsepipe is a routine PSC inspection item — corrosion of the structure and damage to the chain stripper are common findings.
Related
Source: Standard naval architecture
High confidence
Editorial confidence: how we grade.