Subsidiary Guarantors (Condensed Consolidating Statement of Operations and Comprehensive Income (Loss)) (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended			24 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015	Dec. 31, 2016
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contract revenues	$ 702,503	$ 767,585	$ 856,878
Costs of contract revenues	(652,620)	(681,197)	(760,955)
GROSS PROFIT	49,883	86,388	95,923
General and administrative expenses	68,331	65,533	71,069
Impairment of goodwill	0		2,750	$ 2,750
(GAIN) LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS—Net	5,077	6,175	(855)
Total operating income (loss)	(23,525)	14,680	22,959
Interest income (expense)—net	(26,046)	(22,907)	(24,365)
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures	(1,484)	(2,365)	(6,051)
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(2,330)
Other income (expense)	(788)	(3,377)	(1,229)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(54,173)	(13,969)	(8,686)
Income tax benefit	35,610	5,792	2,497
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(18,563)	(8,177)	(6,189)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(12,697)
NET LOSS	(31,260)	(8,177)	(6,189)
Comprehensive loss	(30,112)	(7,339)	(7,438)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contract revenues	699,607	726,239	778,337
Costs of contract revenues	(647,467)	(622,158)	(670,973)
GROSS PROFIT	52,140	104,081	107,364
General and administrative expenses	67,175	51,678	58,682
(GAIN) LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS—Net	4,801	3,040	(885)
Total operating income (loss)	(19,836)	49,363	49,567
Interest income (expense)—net	1,054	1,985	872
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	38	(31,488)	34
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures	(1,484)	(2,365)	(6,221)
Other income (expense)	(1,240)	(2,626)	(3,180)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(21,468)	14,869	41,072
Income tax benefit	(1,250)	1,080	1,641
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(22,718)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(20,900)
NET LOSS	(43,618)	15,949	42,713
Comprehensive loss	(42,429)	16,279	42,713
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | Non Guarantor Subsidiaries [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contract revenues	5,163	44,086	86,666
Costs of contract revenues	(7,420)	(61,779)	(98,107)
GROSS PROFIT	(2,257)	(17,693)	(11,441)
General and administrative expenses	1,156	13,904	12,387
Impairment of goodwill			2,750
(GAIN) LOSS ON SALE OF ASSETS—Net	276	3,135	30
Total operating income (loss)	(3,689)	(34,732)	(26,608)
Interest income (expense)—net	(966)	(1,497)	(1,398)
Equity in earnings (loss) of joint ventures			170
Other income (expense)	452	(751)	1,951
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(4,203)	(36,980)	(25,885)
Income tax benefit	(14)	(144)	(512)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(4,217)
NET LOSS	(4,217)	(37,124)	(26,397)
Comprehensive loss	(4,258)	(36,616)	(27,646)
Reportable Legal Entities [Member] | GLDD Corporation [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
General and administrative expenses		(49)
Total operating income (loss)		49
Interest income (expense)—net	(26,134)	(23,395)	(23,839)
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	(26,973)	10,313	16,282
Loss on extinguishment of debt	(2,330)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	(55,437)	(13,033)	(7,557)
Income tax benefit	36,874	4,856	1,368
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	(18,563)
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	(12,697)
NET LOSS	(31,260)	(8,177)	(6,189)
Comprehensive loss	(30,112)	(7,339)	(7,438)
Consolidation Eliminations [Member]
Condensed Financial Statements, Captions [Line Items]
Contract revenues	(2,267)	(2,740)	(8,125)
Costs of contract revenues	2,267	2,740	8,125
Equity in earnings (loss) of subsidiaries	26,935	21,175	(16,316)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS BEFORE INCOME TAXES	26,935	21,175	(16,316)
LOSS FROM CONTINUING OPERATIONS	26,935
Loss from discontinued operations, net of income taxes	20,900
NET LOSS	47,835	21,175	(16,316)
Comprehensive loss	$ 46,687	$ 20,337	$ (15,067)