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Proc-Type: 2001,MIC-CLEAR
Originator-Name: webmaster@www.sec.gov
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<SEC-DOCUMENT>0001140361-10-014492.txt : 20100331
<SEC-HEADER>0001140361-10-014492.hdr.sgml : 20100331
<ACCEPTANCE-DATETIME>20100331162817
ACCESSION NUMBER:		0001140361-10-014492
CONFORMED SUBMISSION TYPE:	4
PUBLIC DOCUMENT COUNT:		2
CONFORMED PERIOD OF REPORT:	20100330
FILED AS OF DATE:		20100331
DATE AS OF CHANGE:		20100331

REPORTING-OWNER:	

	OWNER DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			SIMS JACK M
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0001203124

	FILING VALUES:
		FORM TYPE:		4
		SEC ACT:		1934 Act
		SEC FILE NUMBER:	001-07615
		FILM NUMBER:		10719492

ISSUER:		

	COMPANY DATA:	
		COMPANY CONFORMED NAME:			KIRBY CORP
		CENTRAL INDEX KEY:			0000056047
		STANDARD INDUSTRIAL CLASSIFICATION:	WATER TRANSPORTATION [4400]
		IRS NUMBER:				741884980
		STATE OF INCORPORATION:			NV
		FISCAL YEAR END:			1231

	BUSINESS ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		55 WAUGH DRIVE SUITE 1000
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77385
		BUSINESS PHONE:		7134351000

	MAIL ADDRESS:	
		STREET 1:		P.O. BOX 1745
		CITY:			HOUSTON
		STATE:			TX
		ZIP:			77251

	FORMER COMPANY:	
		FORMER CONFORMED NAME:	KIRBY EXPLORATION CO INC
		DATE OF NAME CHANGE:	19900510
</SEC-HEADER>
<DOCUMENT>
<TYPE>4
<SEQUENCE>1
<FILENAME>doc1.xml
<DESCRIPTION>FORM 4
<TEXT>
<XML>
<?xml version="1.0"?>
<ownershipDocument>

    <schemaVersion>X0303</schemaVersion>

    <documentType>4</documentType>

    <periodOfReport>2010-03-30</periodOfReport>

    <notSubjectToSection16>0</notSubjectToSection16>

    <issuer>
        <issuerCik>0000056047</issuerCik>
        <issuerName>KIRBY CORP</issuerName>
        <issuerTradingSymbol>KEX</issuerTradingSymbol>
    </issuer>

    <reportingOwner>
        <reportingOwnerId>
            <rptOwnerCik>0001203124</rptOwnerCik>
            <rptOwnerName>SIMS JACK M</rptOwnerName>
        </reportingOwnerId>
        <reportingOwnerAddress>
            <rptOwnerStreet1>55 WAUGH DRIVE, SUITE 1000</rptOwnerStreet1>
            <rptOwnerStreet2></rptOwnerStreet2>
            <rptOwnerCity>HOUSTON</rptOwnerCity>
            <rptOwnerState>TX</rptOwnerState>
            <rptOwnerZipCode>77007</rptOwnerZipCode>
            <rptOwnerStateDescription></rptOwnerStateDescription>
        </reportingOwnerAddress>
        <reportingOwnerRelationship>
            <isDirector>0</isDirector>
            <isOfficer>1</isOfficer>
            <isTenPercentOwner>0</isTenPercentOwner>
            <isOther>0</isOther>
            <officerTitle>Vice President</officerTitle>
            <otherText></otherText>
        </reportingOwnerRelationship>
    </reportingOwner>

    <nonDerivativeTable>
        <nonDerivativeTransaction>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.10 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <transactionDate>
                <value>2010-03-30</value>
            </transactionDate>
            <deemedExecutionDate></deemedExecutionDate>
            <transactionCoding>
                <transactionFormType>4</transactionFormType>
                <transactionCode>F</transactionCode>
                <equitySwapInvolved>0</equitySwapInvolved>
            </transactionCoding>
            <transactionAmounts>
                <transactionShares>
                    <value>2332</value>
                </transactionShares>
                <transactionPricePerShare>
                    <value>38.54</value>
                </transactionPricePerShare>
                <transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
                    <value>D</value>
                </transactionAcquiredDisposedCode>
            </transactionAmounts>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>13844</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>D</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeTransaction>
        <nonDerivativeHolding>
            <securityTitle>
                <value>Common Stock, par value $.10 per share</value>
            </securityTitle>
            <postTransactionAmounts>
                <sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
                    <value>7086</value>
                </sharesOwnedFollowingTransaction>
            </postTransactionAmounts>
            <ownershipNature>
                <directOrIndirectOwnership>
                    <value>I</value>
                </directOrIndirectOwnership>
                <natureOfOwnership>
                    <value>401(k) Stock</value>
                </natureOfOwnership>
            </ownershipNature>
        </nonDerivativeHolding>
    </nonDerivativeTable>

    <derivativeTable></derivativeTable>

    <footnotes></footnotes>

    <remarks>Exhibit List:
Exhibit 24 - Power of Attorney</remarks>

    <ownerSignature>
        <signatureName>G. Stephen Holcomb, Agent and Attorney-in-Fact</signatureName>
        <signatureDate>2010-03-31</signatureDate>
    </ownerSignature>
</ownershipDocument>
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<DESCRIPTION>POWER OF ATTORNEY
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
undersigned hereby constitutes and appoints each of J. H. Pyne, Norman W. Nolen
and G. Stephen Holcomb, each with the authority to act alone, as the
undersigned&#8217;s true and lawful attorney-in-fact to:</font></div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">1.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;execute
on behalf of the undersigned in the undersigned&#8217;s capacity as an officer and/or
director of Kirby Corporation (the &#8220;Company&#8221;), Forms 3, 4 and 5 in accordance
with Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 and the rules
thereunder;</font></div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">2.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;take
any and all actions on behalf of the undersigned that may be necessary or
desirable to complete and execute any such Form 3, 4 or 5, complete and execute
any amendment to such form and timely file such form with the United States
Securities and Exchange Commission and any stock exchange or similar authority;
and</font></div>
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      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 36pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">3.&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;&#160;take
any other action of any kind in connection with the foregoing that, in the
opinion of such attorney-in-fact, may be of benefit to, in the best interest of,
or legally required of, the undersigned, with the documents executed by such
attorney-in-fact on behalf of the undersigned pursuant to this Power of Attorney
to be in such form and contain such terms and conditions as such
attorney-in-fact may approve in his or her discretion.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">The
undersigned grants to each such attorney-in-fact full power and authority to
take such actions as may be necessary or proper in the exercise of the authority
herein granted, as fully as the undersigned could if acting personally, with
full power of substitution or revocation, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that such attorney-in-fact, or such attorney-in-fact&#8217;s substitute or
substitutes, shall lawfully do or cause to be done pursuant to this Power of
Attorney. The undersigned acknowledges that the foregoing attorneys-in-fact, in
serving in such capacity at the request of the undersigned, are not assuming,
nor is the Company assuming, any of the undersigned&#8217;s responsibilities to comply
with Section 16 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.</font></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt"><br></div>
      <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 36pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Times New Roman">This
Power of Attorney shall remain in full force and effect until the undersigned is
no longer required to file Forms 3, 4 and 5 with respect to the undersigned&#8217;s
holdings of and transactions in securities issued by the Company, unless earlier
revoked by the undersigned in a signed writing delivered to the
attorneys-in-fact.</font></div>
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      2002.</font></div>
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              <td valign="top" width="25%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="50%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="25%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
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              <td valign="top" width="50%" style="BORDER-BOTTOM: black 2px solid">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman"><font style="DISPLAY: inline">Jack Sims</font></font></div>
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      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="25%"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">&#160;
      </font></td>
              <td valign="top" width="50%">
                <div style="DISPLAY: block; MARGIN-LEFT: 0pt; TEXT-INDENT: 0pt; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0pt" align="justify"><font style="DISPLAY: inline; FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: times new roman">Printed
      Name</font></div>
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