UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

       DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): JANUARY 29, 2004


                                KIRBY CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                     NEVADA                         74-1884980
        (State or other jurisdiction of          (I.R.S. Employer
         incorporation or organization)         Identification No.)

               55 WAUGH DRIVE, SUITE 1000             77007
                      HOUSTON, TEXAS                (Zip Code)
        (Address of principal executive offices)


               REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
                                 (713) 435-1000

Item 7.   Financial Statements and Exhibits
          (c)  Exhibits:
               99.1 Press release dated January 29, 2004

Item 12. Results of Operations and Financial Condition

     On  January  29,  2004,  Kirby Corporation ("Kirby") issued a press release
announcing  earnings for the fourth quarter and year ended December 31, 2003.  A
copy  of  the  press  release  is  attached  as  Exhibit  99.1  to  this report.

     EBITDA,  a non-GAAP financial measure, is used in the press release.  Kirby
defines  EBITDA  as  net  earnings  before  interest  expense,  taxes on income,
depreciation  and  amortization.  Kirby has historically evaluated its operating
performance  using  numerous  measures,  one  of  which  is  EBITDA.  EBITDA  is
presented  because  of  its wide acceptance as a financial indicator.  EBITDA is
one of the performance measures used in Kirby's incentive bonus plan.  EBITDA is
also  used  by  rating  agencies  in  determining  Kirby's  credit rating and by
analysts  publishing  research  reports  on  Kirby,  as well as by investors and
investment  bankers  generally  in  valuing  companies.  A  quantitative
reconciliation  of  EBITDA  to  GAAP  net  earnings for the 2003 and 2002 fourth
quarters  and  years  is  included  in  the  press  release.



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned  thereunto  duly  authorized.

                                        KIRBY CORPORATION
                                        (Registrant)

                                        By:  /s/ NORMAN W. NOLEN
                                             -------------------------------
                                             Norman W. Nolen
                                             Executive Vice President, Treasurer
                                             and Chief Financial Officer

Dated: January 29, 2004






                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


Exhibit 99.1 Press release dated January 29, 2004