UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
                                    FORM 8-K


                                 CURRENT REPORT

                     PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d) OF THE
                         SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934

        DATE OF REPORT (DATE OF EARLIEST EVENT REPORTED): APRIL 28, 2004


                                KIRBY CORPORATION
             (Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)

                NEVADA                                 74-1884980
    (State or other jurisdiction of                (I.R.S. Employer
     incorporation or organization)               Identification No.)

      55 WAUGH DRIVE, SUITE 1000                         77007
            HOUSTON, TEXAS                             (Zip Code)
(Address of principal executive offices)

               REGISTRANT'S TELEPHONE NUMBER, INCLUDING AREA CODE:
                                 (713) 435-1000

Item 7.   Financial  Statements  and  Exhibits
          (c)  Exhibits:
               99.1  Press release dated April 28, 2004

Item 12.  Results  of  Operations  and  Financial  Condition

     On  April  28,  2004,  Kirby  Corporation  ("Kirby") issued a press release
announcing  earnings  for the first quarter ended March 31, 2004.  A copy of the
press  release  is  attached  as  Exhibit  99.1  to  this  report.

     EBITDA,  a non-GAAP financial measure, is used in the press release.  Kirby
defines  EBITDA  as  net  earnings  before  interest  expense,  taxes on income,
depreciation  and  amortization.  Kirby has historically evaluated its operating
performance  using  numerous  measures,  one  of  which  is  EBITDA.  EBITDA  is
presented  because  of  its wide acceptance as a financial indicator.  EBITDA is
one of the performance measures used in Kirby's incentive bonus plan.  EBITDA is
also  used  by  rating  agencies  in  determining  Kirby's  credit rating and by
analysts  publishing  research  reports  on  Kirby,  as well as by investors and
investment  bankers  generally  in  valuing  companies.  A  quantitative
reconciliation  of  EBITDA  to  GAAP  net  earnings  for the 2004 and 2003 first
quarters  is  included  in  the  press  release.



                                   SIGNATURES

     Pursuant  to  the  requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, the
Registrant  has  duly  caused  this  report  to  be  signed on its behalf by the
undersigned  thereunto  duly  authorized.

                                       KIRBY CORPORATION
                                       (Registrant)

                                       By:   /s/  NORMAN  W.  NOLEN
                                           --------------------------------
                                                  Norman  W.  Nolen
                                         Executive Vice President, Treasurer
                                             and Chief Financial Officer


Dated:  April 29, 2004



                                  EXHIBIT INDEX



Exhibit 99.1   Press release dated April 28, 2004