UNCONSOLIDATED ENTITIES (Details) (USD $)	3 Months Ended	12 Months Ended								3 Months Ended		12 Months Ended				12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2012	Dec. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Jan. 31, 2013	Dec. 31, 2009	Dec. 31, 2006	Dec. 31, 2010 Capesize Bulk Carrier [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Handymax Bulk Carrier [Member]	Mar. 25, 2011 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Mar. 31, 2011 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2003 Dry Bulk Cape Holding Inc. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Oslo Bulk AS [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Oslo Bulk AS [Member]	Jul. 31, 2011 Oslo Bulk AS [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Oslo Bulk AS [Member]	Dec. 31, 2009 Oslo Bulk AS [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Oslo Bulk Holding Pte. Ltd. [Member]	Jan. 31, 2011 Oslo Bulk Holding Pte. Ltd. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2010 Oslo Bulk Holding Pte. Ltd. [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Tony Bulkers [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Tony Bulkers [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 Other [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 TTG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 TTG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 TTG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2000 TTG [Member]	Dec. 31, 2012 RTI [Member]	Dec. 31, 2011 RTI [Member]	Dec. 20, 2011 RTI [Member]	Dec. 31, 2006 RTI [Member]	Dec. 31, 2005 RTI [Member]
Schedule of Equity Method Investments [Line Items]
Aggregate cost															$ 3,479,000	$ 750,000				$ 6,250,000	$ 250,000	$ 1,600,000	$ 3,900,000								$ 228,000				$ 386,000	$ 1,587,000
Equity investee ownership interest (in hundredths)															50.00%	25.00%		25.00%		25.00%			25.00%					49.00%			50.00%					50.00%
Subsidiary ownership interest acquired (in hundredths)				25.00%	25.00%	25.00%				100.00%				100.00%
Number of vessels owned with commitments	20	20						2	2
Number of Vessels Owned or Operated							2									4			2	8
Dividends from equity investee		0	750,000	3,000,000							750,000			3,000,000														0	0
Summary of results of operations [Abstract]
Operating Revenues										4,800,000				28,222,000
Operating Income										2,900,000				22,851,000
Net Income										2,600,000				21,364,000
Amount contributed towards bank guarantee to finance	500,000	500,000
Percentage held by unaffiliated owner (in hundredths)																														50.00%				50.00%
Percentage of interest acquired by unaffiliated owner (in hundredths)																														1.00%
Percentage of funded cost (in hundredths)																												49.00%
Percentage of capital contribution (in hundredths)																												30.00%
Percentage of cost treated as loan (in hundredths)																												70.00%
Contribution to working capital of equity investee																												0	0
Due from Related Parties	1,709,000	1,709,000	1,571,000																									2,018,000	1,827,000			1,870,000
Difference between our investment and equity in net assets																																973,000
Proceeds from divestiture of interest		0	526,000	0																													526,000
Promissory notes receivable one																																	1,885,000
Promissory notes receivable two																																	137,500
Gain (loss) on sale of investments	580,000	580,000	(747,000)	213,000																												(967,000)
Interest rate on note receivable (in hundredths)																																6.00%
Term of note receivable																																5 years
Total Equity in Net Income (Loss) of Unconsolidated Entities		$ (215,000)	$ (410,000)	$ 9,282,000								$ 0	$ 1,301,000			$ 1,010,000	$ (1,346,000)							$ (935,000)	$ (18,000)	$ (290,000)	$ (347,000)