Related Party Transactions (Details) - USD ($) $ in Thousands	12 Months Ended
Dec. 31, 2017	Dec. 31, 2016	Dec. 31, 2015
Hollywood Camp [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	50.00%
Share of facility expenses	$ 3,634	$ 3,143	$ 2,830
Strasburger & Price, LLP [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Legal services	$ 830	779	596
Bolivar [Member]
Related Party Transaction [Line Items]
Ownership percentage	50.00%
Share of facility expenses	$ 581	$ 1,314	$ 895

The percentage of ownership of common stock or equity participation in the investee accounted for under the equity method of accounting.

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 323
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 3
-Subparagraph (a)(1)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=66011266&loc=d3e33918-111571

+ Details

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Namespace Prefix:	us-gaap_
Data Type:	num:percentItemType
Balance Type:	na
Period Type:	instant

- Definition

The amount of expense provided in the period for legal costs incurred on or before the balance sheet date pertaining to resolved, pending or threatened litigation, including arbitration and mediation proceedings.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 225
-SubTopic 10
-Section S99
-Paragraph 2
-Subparagraph (SX 210.5-03.3)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=63488584&loc=d3e20235-122688

+ Details

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Balance Type:	debit
Period Type:	duration

- Definition

Expenses recognized resulting from transactions (excluding transactions that are eliminated in consolidated or combined financial statements) with related party.

+ References

Reference 1: http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/presentationRef
-Publisher FASB
-Name Accounting Standards Codification
-Topic 850
-SubTopic 10
-Section 50
-Paragraph 1
-Subparagraph (c)
-URI http://asc.fasb.org/extlink&oid=6457730&loc=d3e39549-107864

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Balance Type:	debit
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- 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

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- Details

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- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=kex_LimitedLiabilityPartnershipMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
Balance Type:
Period Type:

- Details

Name:	us-gaap_RelatedPartyTransactionsByRelatedPartyAxis=kex_BolivarTerminalMember
Namespace Prefix:
Data Type:	na
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Period Type: