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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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MIC-Info: RSA-MD5,RSA,
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001181431-08-045566.txt : 20080801
<SEC-HEADER>0001181431-08-045566.hdr.sgml : 20080801
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20080801173034
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001181431-08-045566
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	3
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20080730
FILED AS OF DATE:		20080801
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20080801

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			Fanning Quinn P
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001441735

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		3
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-06311
		FILM NUMBER:		08986131

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		BUSINESS PHONE:		5045664582

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		C/O TIDEWATER INC
		STREET 2:		601 POYDRAS ST, STE 1900
		CITY:			NEW ORLEANS
		STATE:			LA
		ZIP:			70130

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>3
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>rrd214608.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 3
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0203</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>3</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2008-07-30</periodOfReport>

    <noSecuritiesOwned>1</noSecuritiesOwned>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000098222</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>TIDEWATER INC</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>TDW</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001441735</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>Fanning Quinn P</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>C/O TIDEWATER, INC.</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2>601 POYDRAS ST., STE. 1900</rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>NEW ORLEANS</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>LA</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>70130</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Executive Vice President</officerTitle>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>/s/ D. Clayton Cambre on behalf of Quinn P. Fanning pursuant to a power of attorney</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2008-08-01</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
</XML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>EX-24.1
<SEQUENCE>2
<FILENAME>rrd192048_216663.htm
<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
<TEXT>
<HTML>
<HEAD>
<TITLE>POA.DOC</TITLE>
<META NAME="subject" CONTENT="POA.1">
</HEAD>
<BODY>
<FONT SIZE=3><P ALIGN="CENTER">POWER OF ATTORNEY</P>
<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">Know all by these presents, that the undersigned (the Reporting Person) hereby constitutes and appoints each of Bruce D. Lundstrom, Executive Vice President, General Counsel and Secretary of Tidewater Inc. or D. Clayton Cambre, Assistant Secretary of Tidewater Inc., or their successors in office, and Curtis R. Hearn and Margaret F. Murphy, signing individually, as the Reporting Person's true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:</P><DIR>
<DIR>
<P>1.&#9;Execute for and on behalf of the Reporting Person, in the Reporting Person's capacity as an officer or director of Tidewater Inc. (the Company), Forms 3, 4, and 5 in accordance with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules thereunder;</P>
<P>2.&#9;Execute for and on behalf of the Reporting Person, in the Reporting Person's capacity as a security holder of the Company selling securities of the Company in accordance with Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933, a Form 144;</P>
<P>3.&#9;Do and perform any and all acts for and on behalf of the Reporting Person that may be necessary or desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4, 5 or 144 and timely file such form with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission, and any stock exchange or similar authority; and</P>
<P>4.&#9;Take any other action of any type whatsoever in connection with the foregoing which, in the opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, and in the best interest of, or legally required by, the Reporting Person, it being understood that the documents executed by such attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney shall be in such form and shall contain such items and conditions as such attorney-in-fact may approve in such attorney-in-fact's discretion.</P>
</DIR>
</DIR>
<P ALIGN="JUSTIFY">The Reporting Person hereby grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to do and perform any and every act and thing whatsoever requisite, necessary, or proper to be done in the exercise of any of the rights and powers herein granted, as fully to all intents and purposes as the Reporting Person might or could do if personally present, with full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact's substitute or substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done by the virtue of this Power of Attorney and the rights and powers herein granted. The Reporting Person acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in serving in such capacity at the request of the Reporting Person, are not assuming, nor is the Company assuming, any of the Reporting Person's responsibilities to comply with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 or Rule 144 under the Securities Act of 1933.</P>
<P>This Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the Reporting Person is no longer required to file Forms 3, 4, 5 or 144 with respect to the Reporting Person's holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier revoked by the Reporting Person in a signed writing delivered to the foregoing attorneys-in-fact.</P>
<P>&nbsp;</P>
<P>Date: &#9;July 31, 2008&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;<U>/s/ Quinn Fanning</U>________________</P>
</FONT><FONT SIZE=2><P>&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;&#9;By: Quinn Fanning</P></FONT></BODY>
</HTML>
</TEXT>
</DOCUMENT>
</SEC-DOCUMENT>
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