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Retirement Plans (Narrative) (Details) (USD $)
12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2014
Dec. 31, 2013
Dec. 31, 2012
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Expected long-term rate of return on plan assets (in hundredths) 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets 7.50%us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlanAssumptionsUsedCalculatingNetPeriodicBenefitCostExpectedLongTermReturnOnAssets  
Contribution percentage to defined contribution plan (in hundredths) 100.00%kex_DefinedContributionPlanContributionPercentage    
Pension plan defined benefit plan cost increase limit percentage (in hundredths) 4.00%kex_PensionPlanDefinedBenefitPlanCostIncreaseLimitPercentage    
Aggregate contributions to the plans $ 23,356,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 23,158,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized $ 22,427,000us-gaap_DefinedContributionPlanCostRecognized
Seafarers Pension Trust [Member]      
Defined Benefit Plan Disclosure [Line Items]      
Pension contributions $ 1,290,000us-gaap_PensionContributions
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= kex_SeafarersPensionTrustMember
$ 1,368,000us-gaap_PensionContributions
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= kex_SeafarersPensionTrustMember
 
Contribution percentage to defined contribution plan (in hundredths) 100.00%kex_DefinedContributionPlanContributionPercentage
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= kex_SeafarersPensionTrustMember
   
Maximum contribution limit (in hundredths) 5.00%kex_DefinedBenefitPlanMaximumContributionLimit
/ us-gaap_DefinedBenefitPlansDisclosuresDefinedBenefitPlansAxis
= kex_SeafarersPensionTrustMember