- Initial Statement of Beneficial Ownership (3)

FORM 3	UNITED STATES SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION Washington, D.C. 20549 INITIAL STATEMENT OF BENEFICIAL OWNERSHIP OF SECURITIES	OMB APPROVAL OMB Number: 3235-0104 Expires: November 30, 2011 Estimated average burden hours per response... 0.5
	Filed pursuant to Section 16(a) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, Section 17(a) of the Public Utility Holding Company Act of 1935 or Section 30(h) of the Investment Company Act of 1940

1. Name and Address of Reporting Person ^*

Farley James F.

2. Date of Event Requiring Statement (MM/DD/YYYY) 2/13/2012

3. Issuer Name and Ticker or Trading Symbol

KIRBY CORP [KEX]

(Last) (First) (Middle)

55 WAUGH DRIVE, SUITE 1000

4. Relationship of Reporting Person(s) to Issuer (Check all applicable)

_____ Director _____ 10% Owner
___ X ___ Officer (give title below) _____ Other (specify below)
President K-Sea Transportation /

(Street)

HOUSTON, TX 77007

(City) (State) (Zip)

5. If Amendment, Date Original Filed (MM/DD/YYYY)

6. Individual or Joint/Group Filing (Check Applicable Line)

_ X _ Form filed by One Reporting Person
___ Form filed by More than One Reporting Person

Table I - Non-Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned
1.Title of Security (Instr. 4)	2. Amount of Securities Beneficially Owned (Instr. 4)	3. Ownership Form: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	4. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Common Stock, par value $.10 per share	43291	D
Common Stock, par value $.10 per share	952	I	401(k) Stock

*Table II - Derivative Securities Beneficially Owned ( e.g.* , puts, calls, warrants, options, convertible securities)**
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	2. Date Exercisable and Expiration Date (MM/DD/YYYY)		3. Title and Amount of Securities Underlying Derivative Security (Instr. 4)		4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security	5. Ownership Form of Derivative Security: Direct (D) or Indirect (I) (Instr. 5)	6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
1. Title of Derivate Security (Instr. 4)	Date Exercisable	Expiration Date	Title	Amount or Number of Shares	4. Conversion or Exercise Price of Derivative Security		6. Nature of Indirect Beneficial Ownership (Instr. 5)
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	2/1/2011	2/1/2013	Common Stock	12000	$48.65	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	1/30/2012	1/30/2014	Common Stock	18000	$23.98	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	2/1/2013 ⁽¹⁾	2/1/2017	Common Stock	12000	$32.56	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	1/31/2014 ⁽¹⁾	1/31/2018	Common Stock	10300	$46.74	D
Employee Stock Option (Right to Buy)	2/6/2015 ⁽¹⁾	2/6/2019	Common Stock	6540	$66.72	D

Explanation of Responses:
( 1)	Option is exercisable 33% after one year, 67% after two years and 100% after three years from date of grant.

Remarks:
Exhibit List:
Exhibit-Power of Attorney

Reporting Owners
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Relationships
Reporting Owner Name / Address	Director	10% Owner	Officer	Other
Farley James F. 55 WAUGH DRIVE SUITE 1000 HOUSTON, TX 77007			President K-Sea Transportation

Signatures
G. Stephen Holcomb, Agent and Attorney-in-Fact		2/22/2012
^** Signature of Reporting Person		Date

Reminder: Report on a separate line for each class of securities beneficially owned directly or indirectly.
*	If the form is filed by more than one reporting person, see Instruction 5(b)(v).
**	Intentional misstatements or omissions of facts constitute Federal Criminal Violations. See 18 U.S.C. 1001 and 15 U.S.C. 78ff(a).
Note:	File three copies of this Form, one of which must be manually signed. If space is insufficient, see Instruction 6 for procedure.
Persons who respond to the collection of information contained in this form are not required to respond unless the form displays a currently valid OMB control number.