-----BEGIN PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----
Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
 MFgwCgYEVQgBAQICAf8DSgAwRwJAW2sNKK9AVtBzYZmr6aGjlWyK3XmZv3dTINen
 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 PynsuLPuxgeenJa936HKCqsmVFaFOKasDeKHjnsIOv0ereeOrZ0bmbgvA2CFVPNp
 dJfgUYdSTQqBjdHfOJEImw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001241921-08-000067.txt : 20080703
<SEC-HEADER>0001241921-08-000067.hdr.sgml : 20080703
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080703150711
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001241921-08-000067
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080701
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080703
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080703

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			WILKINSON BRUCE W
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001199548

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-08430
		FILM NUMBER:		08938472

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		2818705000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N ELDRIDGE PARKWAY
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77079

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			MCDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000708819
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	FABRICATED PLATE WORK (BOILER SHOPS) [3443]
		IRS NUMBER:				720593134
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			R1
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N. ELDRIDGE PARKWAY
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77079
		BUSINESS PHONE:		281-870-5000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		777 N. ELDRIDGE PARKWAY
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77079
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-01</periodOfReport>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000708819</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>MCDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>MDR</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001199548</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>WILKINSON BRUCE W</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O MCDERMOTT INTERNATIONAL, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>777 N. ELDRIDGE PARKWAY</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77079</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>1</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Chairman and CEO</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27180</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>4.845</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>713012</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27180</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F2"/>
                    <footnoteId id="F3"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>685832</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16460</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>6.7267</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>A</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>702292</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>S</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16460</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <footnoteId id="F4"/>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>685832</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>10293</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F5"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401k Plan</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>4.845</value>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>27180</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F6"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2011-03-06</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>27180</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>0</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
        <derivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Stock Option (Right to Buy)</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <conversionOrExercisePrice>
                <value>6.7267</value>
                <footnoteId id="F7"/>
            </conversionOrExercisePrice>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2008-07-01</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>M</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
                <footnoteId id="F1"/>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>16460</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>0</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <exerciseDate>
                <footnoteId id="F8"/>
            </exerciseDate>
            <expirationDate>
                <value>2015-05-12</value>
            </expirationDate>
            <underlyingSecurity>
                <underlyingSecurityTitle>
                    <value>Common Stock</value>
                </underlyingSecurityTitle>
                <underlyingSecurityShares>
                    <value>16460</value>
                </underlyingSecurityShares>
            </underlyingSecurity>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>218200</value>
                    <footnoteId id="F7"/>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value></value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </derivativeTransaction>
    </derivativeTable>

    <footnotes>
        <footnote id="F1">The sales and underlying exercises reported in this Form 4 were effected pursuant to a Rule 10b5-1 trading plan.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F2">The stock was sold in multiple transactions at the following prices:  100 @ $60.16; 300 @ $60.21; 200 @ $60.22; 100 @ $60.225; 800 @ $60.25; 200 @ $60.26; 1040 @ $60.27; 200 @ $60.28; 100 @ $60.31; 100 @ $60.32; 819 @ $60.33; 300 @ $60.40; 100 @ $60.41; 100 @ $60.42; 277 @ $60.44; 800 @ $60.46; 345 @ $60.47; 300 @ $60.49; 300 @ $60.50; 500 @ $60.52; 300 @ $60.53; 100 @ $60.54; 200 @ $60.55; 200 @ $60.56; 200 @ $60.58; 300 @ $60.60; 100 @ $60.61; 230 @ $60.62; 400 @ $60.64; 218 @ $60.65; 100 @ $60.66; 200 @ $60.68; 200 @ $60.70; 800 @ $60.71; 432 @ $60.72; 500 @ $60.73; 200 @ $60.74; 200 @ $60.75; 268 @ $60.76; 700 @ $60.77; 300 @ $60.78; 300 @ $60.79; 2,100 @ $60.80; 200 @ $60.81; 759 @ $60.82; 200 @ $60.83; 200 @ $60.84; 100 @ $60.85; 400 @ $60.86; 100 @ $60.87; 200 @ $60.88; 352 @ $60.89; 204 @ $60.90; 100 @ $60.91; 600 @ $60.92; 100 @ $60.93; 300 @ $60.94; 496 @ $60.95; 500 @ $60.96; 600 @ $60.97; 400 @ $60.98; 900 @ $60.99; 300 @ $61; 100 @ $61.005; coninued on footnote 3</footn
ote>
        <footnote id="F3">continued from footnote 2: 1,500 @ $61.01; 200 @ $61.02; 300 @ $61.03; 400 @ $61.04; 100 @ $61.05; 500 @ $61.06; 300 @ $61.07; 400 @ $61.08; 400@ $61.09 and 440 @ $61.10.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F4">The stock was sold in multiple transactions at the following prices:  260 @ $61.10; 500 @ $61.11; 400 @ $61.12; 800 @ $61.13; 600 @ $61.14; 500 @ $61.15; 300 @ $61.16; 800 @ $61.17; 500 @ $61.18; 500 @ $61.19; 200 @ $61.20; 300 @ $61.21; 300 @ $61.22; 700 @ $61.23; 800 @ $61.24; 500 @ $61.25; 500 @ $61.26; 1,050 @ $61.27; 100 @ $61.28; 380 @ $61.29; 570 @ $61.30; 400 @ $61.31; 300 @ $61.32; 100 @ $61.33; 700 @ $61.34; 100 @ $61.36; 100 @ $61.37; 100 @ $61.39; 400 @ $61.40; 300 @ $61.41; 600 @ $61.42; 300 @ $61.43; 200 @ $61.44; 600 @ $61.45; 400 @ $61.455; 400 @ $61.46; 100 @ $61.48; 500 @ $61.485; 100 @ $61.49; and 200 @ $61.51.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F5">Based upon the units held in 401k Plan and the fair market value of Common Stock as of July 1, 2008.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F6">This option vested in three equal installments on March 6, 2002, 2003 and 2004.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F7">This option was previously reported as covering 78,220 shares at an exercise price of $20.18 per share, but was adjusted to reflect the 3-for-2 Stock Split that occurred on May 31, 2006 and the 2-for-1 stock split that occurred on September 10, 2007.</footnote>
        <footnote id="F8">This option vested in three equal installments on May 12, 2006, 2007 and 2008</footnote>
    </footnotes>

    <remarks></remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>Robert E. Stumpf, by power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-07-03</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
-----END PRIVACY-ENHANCED MESSAGE-----