SUMMARY OF SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES (Details) (USD $) In Millions, except Share data, unless otherwise specified	1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended			1 Months Ended	12 Months Ended		1 Months Ended		12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended									12 Months Ended			12 Months Ended
	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009	Jan. 31, 2012 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Stock Options [Member]	Jan. 25, 2012 Stock Options [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Time-Based Restricted Stock Units [Member]	Jan. 31, 2012 Performance-Based Restricted Stock Units [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Stock Options [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Customer lists [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Customer lists [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 In-place leases [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 In-place leases [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Vessels [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Buildings [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Water, power and sewer systems [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Machinery and equipment [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Other property improvements [Member] Y	Dec. 31, 2011 Carrying amount [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Carrying amount [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Fair value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Fair value [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Transportation Industry [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Transportation Industry [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Transportation Industry [Member] SSA Terminals, LLC [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Real Estate Industry [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Agribusiness Industry [Member]
Description of business [Abstract]
Number of operating segments		5																										2			2	1
Number of industries		3
Equity method investment, ownership percentage (in hundredths)																												35.00%		35.00%
Proceeds from sale of business and productive assets	$ 14
Fiscal year [Abstract]
Number of weeks in fiscal year																												52	53
Impairment of investments [Abstract]
Impairment loss on joint venture investment			1.9
Cash and cash equivalents [Abstract]
Outstanding checks in excess of funds on deposit		13	14
Fair value of financial instruments [Abstract]
Fair value of long-term debt																								559	587	522	546
Allowance for doubtful accounts [Roll Forward]
Balance at Beginning of year		8	10	8
Expense		0	0	3
Write-offs and Other		(1)	(2)	(1)
Balance at End of Year		7	8	10
Inventories [Abstract]
Sugar and coffee inventories		16	16
Materials and supplies inventories		24	19
Total		40	35
Dry-docking [Abstract]
Range of scheduled dry-dock intervals (in years)		from two to five years
Property, Plant and Equipment [Line Items]
Estimated useful life, minimum (in years)																			10	10	5	2	3
Estimated useful life, maximum (in years)																			40	40	50	35	35
Capitalized interest [Abstract]
Total interest cost incurred		25	26	26
Changes in carrying amount of goodwill [Roll Forward]
Beginning Balance		27	27
Additions		0	0
Ending Balance		27	27	27
Amortized intangible assets [Abstract]
Gross Carrying Amount		38	38										12	12	15	15	11	11
Accumulated Amortization		(23)	(17)										(6)	(5)	(9)	(7)	(8)	(5)
Aggregate intangible asset amortization		6	5	4
Estimated amortization expenses [Abstract]
2012		3
2013		3
2014		2
2015		2
2016		1
Basic and diluted earnings per share ("EPS") of common stock [Abstract]
Securities excluded from the computation of weighted average dilutive shares outstanding (in shares)										1,400,000	1,600,000	1,800,000
Denominator used to compute basic and diluted earnings per share [Abstract]
Denominator for basic EPS: weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		41,600,000	41,200,000	41,000,000
Effect of dilutive securities [Abstract]
Outstanding stock options and non-vested stock units (in shares)		400,000	300,000	100,000
Denominator for diluted EPS: weighted average shares outstanding (in shares)		42,000,000	41,500,000	41,100,000
Share-based Compensation Arrangement by Share-based Payment Award [Line Items]
Stock options granted (in shares)					132,681	317,000
Stock options granted, weighted average exercise price (in dollars per share)						$ 40.75	$ 46.27
Equity instruments other than options granted (in units)								111,853	41,064
Vesting period (in years)								3Y	3Y
Performance period (in years)									1Y
Unrealized components of benefit plans [Abstract]
Pension plans		(90)	(73)	(73)
Postretirement plans		1	(4)	0
Non-qualified benefit plans		(1)	(4)	(6)
SSAT pension plan and other		(2)	(1)	(2)
Accumulated other comprehensive loss		(92)	(82)	(81)
Restricted net assets of Matson that may not be transferred to the Company		$ 259