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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
Originator-Key-Asymmetric:
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 TWSM7vrzLADbmYQaionwg5sDW3P6oaM5D3tdezXMm7z1T+B+twIDAQAB
MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
 FrHkjAOH/R/2Tp0qCXdunYBV9PouGRq5SoVSPw2ddY56/FsL1+ETDOjERPrmQ1Vq
 kgZpQxabmZlmf9QRTntGxw==

<SEC-DOCUMENT>0000098222-03-000005.txt : 20030514
<SEC-HEADER>0000098222-03-000005.hdr.sgml : 20030514
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20030514124317
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0000098222-03-000005
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		1
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20030514
FILED AS OF DATE:		20030514

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TAYLOR DEAN E
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001197253

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06311
		FILM NUMBER:		03697827

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		601 POYDRAS ST
		STREET 2:		STE 1900
		CITY:			NEW ORLEANS
		STATE:			LA
		ZIP:			7006

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			TIDEWATER INC
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000098222
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	WATER TRANSPORTATION [4400]
		IRS NUMBER:				720487776
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			DE
		FISCAL YEAR END:			0331

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		601 POYDRAS ST.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1900
		CITY:			NEW ORLEANS
		STATE:			LA
		ZIP:			70130
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5045681010

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		601 POYDRAS ST.
		STREET 2:		SUITE 1900
		CITY:			NEW ORLEANS
		STATE:			LA
		ZIP:			70130

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	TIDEWATER MARINE SERVICE INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19780724
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>edgar.xml
<DESCRIPTION>PRIMARY DOCUMENT
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>
    <schemaVersion>X0101</schemaVersion>

<documentType>4</documentType><periodOfReport>2003-05-14</periodOfReport>
<issuer><issuerCik>0000098222</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TIDEWATER INC</issuerName>
<issuerTradingSymbol>TDW</issuerTradingSymbol></issuer><reportingOwner><reportingOwnerId><rptOwnerCik>0001197253</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>TAYLOR DEAN E</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>  </rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>  </rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>  </rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>  </rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>  </rptOwnerZipCode>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
<reportingOwnerRelationship>
<isDirector>1</isDirector><isOfficer>1</isOfficer><isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner><isOther>0</isOther><officerTitle>CEO and President</officerTitle></reportingOwnerRelationship></reportingOwner><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F1"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>22.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3100</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></
natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved><footnoteId id="F2"/></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>178</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3278</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><nonDerivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></securityTitle><trans
actionDate><value>2003-04-30</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>I</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>269</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>A</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>3253</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>I</value><footnoteId id="F3"/></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value>By Trustee</value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></nonDerivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)   </value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>22.25</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></
transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>1600</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>22.25</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-08-16</value><footnoteId id="F4"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-08-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>1600</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownersh
ipNature></derivativeSecurity><derivativeSecurity><securityTitle><value>Restricted Stock Award (Right to Receive)</value></securityTitle><conversionOrExercisePrice><value>0</value></conversionOrExercisePrice><transactionDate><value>2003-05-14</value></transactionDate><transactionCoding><transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType><transactionCode>M</transactionCode><equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved></transactionCoding><transactionAmounts><transactionShares><value>178</value></transactionShares><transactionValue><value>0</value></transactionValue><transactionAcquiredDisposedCode><value>D</value></transactionAcquiredDisposedCode></transactionAmounts><exerciseDate><value>1995-08-16</value><footnoteId id="F5"/></exerciseDate><expirationDate><value>2004-08-16</value></expirationDate><underlyingSecurity><underlyingSecurityTitle><value>Common Stock</value></underlyingSecurityTitle><underlyingSecurityShares><value>178</value></underlyingSecurityShares></underlyingSecurity><postTransactionAmounts><sharesOwnedF
ollowingTransaction><value>0</value></sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction></postTransactionAmounts><ownershipNature><directOrIndirectOwnership><value>D</value></directOrIndirectOwnership><natureOfOwnership><value></value></natureOfOwnership></ownershipNature></derivativeSecurity><footnotes><footnote id="F1">Exercise of employee stock options granted under Tidewater Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan.</footnote><footnote id="F2">Receipt of common stock awarded under Tidewater Inc. 1992 Stock Option Plan. </footnote><footnote id="F3">Acquired on a period basis by the Trustee of Tidewater 401(k) Savings Plan. Includes shares acquired for my account through April 30, 2003. </footnote><footnote id="F4">Exercisable in 3 annual increments beginning August 16, 1995</footnote><footnote id="F5">Shares are issued in 1/3 increments at the time of and in tandem with exercise of related employee stock options. (See Note 1 above). </footnote></footnotes><ownerSignature><signatureName>Michael L. Goldblatt, Agent and Attorney-in-Fact <
/signatureName><signatureDate>2003-05-14</signatureDate></ownerSignature></ownershipDocument>

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</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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