GAIN ON SALE OF LOAN NOTES AND SHARE WARRANTS - OTHER (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2014	Dec. 31, 2013	May. 31, 2015
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Proceeds from redemption of Horizon loan notes and warrants	$ 71,681	$ 0	$ 0
Available for sale securities	199,594	73,656
Gain on sale of loan notes and share warrants - other	44,552	0	$ 0
Impaired Investment 2 [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Investments	$ 1,200	1,200		$ 1,200
Unlisted Securities [Member]
Gain (Loss) on Investments [Line Items]
Available for sale securities		$ 23,700		$ 25,900

Amount of investment in debt and equity securities categorized neither as held-to-maturity nor trading.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 25
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (b)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51813488&loc=d3e22054-111558

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-Subparagraph (aa)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=27724398&loc=d3e27232-111563

Reference 3: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 320
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 1
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=49167202&loc=d3e26610-111562

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_AvailableForSaleSecurities
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

Reflects the net positive or negative amount derived from subtracting from net proceeds of sale the carrying amounts, net of allocated reserves, of notes receivable transferred to a third party in a transaction that qualifies for sales treatment.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 860
-SubTopic 20
-Section 50
-Paragraph 5
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=51814546&loc=d3e107425-111719

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_GainLossOnSaleOfNotesReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	credit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Sum of the carrying amounts as of the balance sheet date of all investments.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 944
-SubTopic 210
-Section S99
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (SX 210.7-03.1(h))
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6879938&loc=d3e572229-122910

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_Investments
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The cash inflow associated with the sale of a borrowing supported by a written promise to pay an obligation.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Glossary Investing Activities
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6516133

Reference 2: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 230
-SubTopic 10
-Section 45
-Paragraph 12
-Subparagraph (a)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=56944662&loc=d3e3179-108585

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ProceedsFromSaleOfNotesReceivable
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:monetaryItemType
Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Line items represent financial concepts included in a table. These concepts are used to disclose reportable information associated with domain members defined in one or many axes to the table.

+ References

No definition available.

+ Details

Name:	us-gaap_ScheduleOfGainLossOnInvestmentsIncludingMarketableSecuritiesAndInvestmentsHeldAtCostIncomeStatementReportedAmountsSummaryLineItems
Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	xbrli:stringItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	duration

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_InvestmentTypeAxis=sfl_ImpairedInvestment2Member
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_TransactionTypeAxis=us-gaap_OverTheCounterMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type: