BASIS OF PRESENTATION AND SIGNIFICANT ACCOUNTING POLICIES - Additional information (Detail) (USD $)	3 Months Ended								12 Months Ended
	Dec. 31, 2011 Country Person	Sep. 30, 2011	Jun. 30, 2011	Mar. 31, 2011	Dec. 31, 2010	Sep. 30, 2010	Jun. 30, 2010	Mar. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2011 Country Person	Dec. 31, 2010	Dec. 31, 2009
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of countries in which entity operates	20								20
Number of Employees in entity	13,500								13,500
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, aggregate amount	$ 21,962,000				$ 197,861,000				$ 21,962,000	$ 197,861,000
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, restricted foreign accounts	20,000,000								20,000,000
Restricted cash and cash equivalents, reinsurance reserve requirements	2,000,000								2,000,000
Retainages expected to be collected in 2013	63,100,000								63,100,000
Retainages expected to be collected in 2014	11,400,000								11,400,000
Percentage of completion to recognize expected profit	70.00%								70.00%
Interest incurred									9,300,000	14,600,000	11,700,000
Interest capitalized									8,800,000	12,000,000	12,600,000
Depreciation expense									82,200,000	75,800,000	79,100,000
Asset impairment charges									5,500,000	24,400,000
Reduction in self-insurance accruals									17,300,000	2,400,000	4,600,000
Revenues	816,175,000	879,894,000	849,801,000	899,240,000	539,622,000	732,095,000	627,144,000	504,882,000	3,445,110,000	2,403,743,000	3,281,790,000
Cost of operations									2,980,390,000	1,842,261,000	2,781,735,000
Buildings
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, minimum									8
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, maximum									33
Machinery and Equipment
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, minimum									3
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, maximum									28
Drydocking
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, minimum									3
Property, plant and equipment economic useful lives, maximum									5
Atlantic
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Revenues									267,019,000	183,001,000	230,428,000
Atlantic | Backlog
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Revenues									144,000,000
Atlantic | Deferred profit recognition contracts
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Revenues									45,000,000
Cost of operations									45,000,000
Maximum
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Equity method of accounting investment ownership	20.00%								20.00%
Minimum
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Equity method of accounting investment ownership	50.00%								50.00%
Charter Fleet Business
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of vessels						10
Secunda International Limited
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Number of vessels						14
Consolidated Entities
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Revenues									12,000,000
Cost of operations									12,000,000
Unconsolidated joint ventures
Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements Disclosure [Line Items]
Revenues									13,000,000
Cost of operations									$ 13,000,000