Hemp was the main fibre used to make rope until Manila, and then synthetics were introduced. (Manila is often called "Manila hemp", but it is not actually produced from hemp fiber, but from the fibers of the abaca plant.). Manila rope began to replace hemp rope in the 19th century in maritime applications.

Hemp was never as dominant as a sail cloth fiber as it was in rope. The main sailcloth was flax canvas, until cotton canvas became more dominant in the 19th century.

Still, hemp, particularly in rope, was a key part of the maritime technology of seaworthy, cannon armed, square rigged ships which allowed Europe to dominate the world's oceans from the 15th century onwards, so it played an important part in the rise of Europe, and the eventual industrialization.