DEBT - Schedule of Debt (Details)				3 Months Ended					9 Months Ended		12 Months Ended
	Sep. 18, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 15, 2014 USD ($)	Aug. 01, 2012 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 31, 2016 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2016 USD ($)	Sep. 30, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2015 USD ($)	Dec. 31, 2014	Mar. 28, 2016 USD ($)	Mar. 07, 2016 USD ($)	Aug. 27, 2014 USD ($)	Sep. 20, 2013	Aug. 15, 2013 USD ($)	Jan. 17, 2013	Dec. 27, 2012 USD ($)
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross					$ 268,578,000		$ 271,057,000		$ 268,578,000		$ 271,057,000
Total debt, net					261,543,000		266,221,000		261,543,000		266,221,000
Debt Issuance Cost									(7,035,000)		(4,836,000)
Total debt due within one year					8,548,000		24,791,000		8,548,000		24,791,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt					0			$ 0	(1,579,000)	$ 0
Loans Payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					76,125,000		221,444,000		76,125,000		221,444,000
Loans Payable | Container Loan 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					0		34,761,000		0		34,761,000
Loans Payable | Container Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					0		11,338,000		0		11,338,000
Loans Payable | FTAI Pride Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					62,500,000		67,188,000		62,500,000		67,188,000
Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					13,625,000		9,407,000		13,625,000		9,407,000
Debt Instrument, Face Amount	$ 10,000,000												$ 20,000,000
Debt Instrument, Callable Debt						$ 29,000,000
Loans Payable | Jefferson Terminal Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					0		98,750,000		0		98,750,000
Loss on extinguishment of debt									1,579,000
Bonds payable
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					190,101,000		47,261,000		190,101,000		47,261,000
Bonds payable | Series 2012 Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					45,901,000		47,261,000		45,901,000		47,261,000
Unamortized premium					1,710,000		1,751,000		1,710,000		1,751,000
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Service Coverage Ratio												1.25
Bonds payable | Dock and Wharf Facility Revenue Bonds, Series 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Long-term Debt, Gross					144,200,000		0		144,200,000		0
Debt Instrument, Face Amount														$ 144,200,000
Note payable to non-controlling interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					2,352,000		2,352,000		2,352,000		2,352,000
Note payable to non-controlling interest | Note payable to non-controlling interest
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Total debt, net					$ 2,352,000		2,352,000		$ 2,352,000		$ 2,352,000
Subsidiary | Loans Payable | Container Loan 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																			$ 55,991,000
Subsidiary | Loans Payable | Container Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount																	$ 21,548,000
Subsidiary | Loans Payable | FTAI Pride Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount		$ 75,000,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment							$ 1,562,000
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Fixed Charge Coverage Ratio												1.15
Debt Instrument, Covenant, Evaluation Period												12 months
Subsidiary | Loans Payable | Jefferson Terminal Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount															$ 100,000,000
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment						$ 250,000
Jefferson Terminal | Bonds payable | Series 2012 Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Face Amount			$ 46,875,000
Debt Instrument, Period of Interest Reserve			6 months
Jefferson Terminal | Bonds payable | Dock and Wharf Facility Revenue Bonds, Series 2016
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Fee Amount														$ 6,873,000
Debt Instrument, Interest Rate, Stated Percentage														7.25%
Interest Rate Swap | Loans Payable | Container Loan 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of Debt Hedged by Interest Rate Derivatives																		70.00%
Interest Rate Cap | Loans Payable | Container Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Percentage of Debt Hedged by Interest Rate Derivatives																50.00%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Subsidiary | Loans Payable | FTAI Pride Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate		4.50%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Interest Rate Swap | Loans Payable | Container Loan 1
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative, Fixed Interest Rate																		0.681%
London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Interest Rate Cap | Loans Payable | Container Loan 2
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Derivative, Cap Interest Rate																2.50%
Minimum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.50%
Minimum | Base Rate | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	1.50%
Minimum | Canadian Fixed Rate | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	2.50%
Maximum | London Interbank Offered Rate (LIBOR) | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	4.50%
Maximum | Base Rate | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	3.50%
Maximum | Canadian Fixed Rate | Loans Payable | CMQR Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Basis Spread on Variable Rate	4.50%
Scenario, Forecast | Subsidiary | Loans Payable | Jefferson Terminal Credit Agreement
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Debt Instrument, Periodic Payment				$ 1,250,000
Jefferson Terminal | Bonds payable | Series 2012 Bonds
Debt Instrument [Line Items]
Unamortized premium															1,823,000
Business Combination, Recognized Identifiable Assets Acquired and Liabilities Assumed, Tendered Bonds															$ 48,554,000