<?xml version="1.0" encoding="US-ASCII"?>
<!-- DFIN New ActiveDisclosure (SM) XBRL Schema Document - http://www.dfinsolutions.com/ -->
<!-- Creation Date :2026-03-06T16:38:15.9331+00:00 -->
<!-- Copyright (c) 2026 Donnelley Financial Solutions, Inc. All Rights Reserved. -->
<xsd:schema targetNamespace="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306" attributeFormDefault="unqualified" elementFormDefault="qualified" xmlns:dtr-types="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31" xmlns:enum2="http://xbrl.org/2020/extensible-enumerations-2.0" xmlns:ecd-sub="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd-sub/2025" xmlns:ecd="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025" xmlns:xsd="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema" xmlns:link="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase" xmlns:us-gaap="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2025" xmlns:dei="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025" xmlns:xbrldt="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt" xmlns:xbrli="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xmlns:kex="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306">
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-instance-2003-12-31.xsd" namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/instance"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/xbrl-linkbase-2003-12-31.xsd" namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/linkbase"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd" namespace="http://xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd" namespace="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd" namespace="http://fasb.org/us-gaap/2025"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="https://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31/types.xsd" namespace="http://www.xbrl.org/dtr/type/2024-01-31"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-sub-2025.xsd" namespace="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd-sub/2025"/>
  <xsd:import schemaLocation="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd" namespace="http://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025"/>
  <xsd:annotation>
    <xsd:appinfo>
      <link:roleType roleURI="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306/taxonomy/role/DocumentCover" id="DocumentCover">
        <link:definition>75000 - Document - Cover</link:definition>
        <link:usedOn>link:presentationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:calculationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:definitionLink</link:usedOn>
      </link:roleType>
      <link:roleType roleURI="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306/role/Anchoring" id="Anchoring">
        <link:definition>999009 - Disclosure - Anchoring</link:definition>
        <link:usedOn>link:presentationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:calculationLink</link:usedOn>
        <link:usedOn>link:definitionLink</link:usedOn>
      </link:roleType>
      <link:linkbase id="lnk">
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/all" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#all" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-default" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-default" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/dimension-domain" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#dimension-domain" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#domain-member" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/hypercube-dimension" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/2005/xbrldt-2005.xsd#hypercube-dimension" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:arcroleRef arcroleURI="http://www.esma.europa.eu/xbrl/esef/arcrole/wider-narrower" xlink:href="http://www.xbrl.org/lrr/arcrole/esma-arcrole-2018-11-21.xsd#wider-narrower" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:roleRef roleURI="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/PvpAdjustmentsOnly" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd#PvpAdjustmentsOnly" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:roleRef roleURI="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306/taxonomy/role/DocumentCover" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#DocumentCover" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:roleRef roleURI="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/PvpDisclosure" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd#PvpDisclosure" xlink:type="simple"/>
        <link:labelLink xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/link" xlink:title="labelLink" xlink:type="extended">
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:label="dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType" xlink:label="dei_DocumentType"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:label="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ProfitLoss" xlink:label="us-gaap_ProfitLoss"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:label="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" xlink:label="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract" xlink:label="dei_CoverAbstract"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" xlink:label="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:label="dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityInformationLineItems" xlink:label="dei_EntityInformationLineItems"/>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_AmendmentFlag_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Amendment Flag</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_DocumentType_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Document Type</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Entity Central Index Key</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="us-gaap_ProfitLoss_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="us-gaap_ProfitLoss_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/totalLabel">Net Income (Loss), Including Portion Attributable to Noncontrolling Interest, Total</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Document Information [Line Items]</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/documentation">Adjusted EBITDA.</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Adjusted EBITDA [Member]</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_CoverAbstract_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Cover [Abstract]</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/documentation">Impairment of long lived assets including goodwill.</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Impairment of Long Lived Assets Including Goodwill</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_EntityRegistrantName_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Entity Registrant Name</link:label>
          <link:label xml:lang="en-US" xlink:type="resource" xlink:label="dei_EntityInformationLineItems_lbl" xlink:role="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label">Entity Information [Line Items]</link:label>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:to="dei_AmendmentFlag_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_DocumentType" xlink:to="dei_DocumentType_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:to="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="us-gaap_ProfitLoss" xlink:to="us-gaap_ProfitLoss_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" xlink:to="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_CoverAbstract" xlink:to="dei_CoverAbstract_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" xlink:to="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:to="dei_EntityRegistrantName_lbl"/>
          <link:labelArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/concept-label" xlink:from="dei_EntityInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityInformationLineItems_lbl"/>
        </link:labelLink>
        <link:presentationLink xlink:role="http://kirbycorp.com/20260306/taxonomy/role/DocumentCover" xlink:title="presentationLink" xlink:type="extended">
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:label="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_DocumentType" xlink:label="dei_DocumentType"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityInformationLineItems" xlink:label="dei_EntityInformationLineItems"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityRegistrantName" xlink:label="dei_EntityRegistrantName"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_AmendmentFlag" xlink:label="dei_AmendmentFlag"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" xlink:label="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/dei/2025/dei-2025.xsd#dei_CoverAbstract" xlink:label="dei_CoverAbstract"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_DocumentType" order="0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_EntityInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityRegistrantName" order="0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_AmendmentFlag" order="1" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_EntityInformationLineItems" xlink:to="dei_EntityCentralIndexKey" order="1" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_CoverAbstract" xlink:to="dei_DocumentInformationLineItems" order="49.0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="dei_CoverAbstract" xlink:to="dei_EntityInformationLineItems" order="50.0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
        </link:presentationLink>
        <link:presentationLink xlink:role="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/PvpDisclosure" xlink:title="presentationLink" xlink:type="extended">
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd#ecd_AllAdjToCompMember" xlink:label="ecd_AllAdjToCompMember"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" xlink:label="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd#ecd_PayVsPerformanceDisclosureLineItems" xlink:label="ecd_PayVsPerformanceDisclosureLineItems"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.fasb.org/us-gaap/2025/elts/us-gaap-2025.xsd#us-gaap_ProfitLoss" xlink:label="us-gaap_ProfitLoss"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" xlink:label="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="ecd_AllAdjToCompMember" xlink:to="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" order="4.0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="ecd_PayVsPerformanceDisclosureLineItems" xlink:to="us-gaap_ProfitLoss" order="32.0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
          <link:presentationArc xlink:type="arc" xlink:arcrole="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/arcrole/parent-child" xlink:from="ecd_PayVsPerformanceDisclosureLineItems" xlink:to="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" order="33.0" priority="2" use="optional" preferredLabel="http://www.xbrl.org/2003/role/label"/>
        </link:presentationLink>
        <link:definitionLink xlink:type="extended" xlink:role="http://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/role/PvpAdjustmentsOnly">
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="https://xbrl.sec.gov/ecd/2025/ecd-2025.xsd#ecd_AllAdjToCompMember" xlink:label="ecd_AllAdjToCompMember"/>
          <link:loc xlink:type="locator" xlink:href="kex-20260306.xsd#kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" xlink:label="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember"/>
          <link:definitionArc xlink:type="arc" order="3" xbrldt:closed="false" xlink:arcrole="http://xbrl.org/int/dim/arcrole/domain-member" xlink:from="ecd_AllAdjToCompMember" xlink:to="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" priority="2" use="optional"/>
        </link:definitionLink>
      </link:linkbase>
    </xsd:appinfo>
  </xsd:annotation>
  <xsd:element id="kex_AdjustedEbitdaMember" name="AdjustedEbitdaMember" type="dtr-types:domainItemType" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" abstract="true"/>
  <xsd:element id="kex_ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" name="ImpairmentOfLongLivedAssetsIncludingGoodwill" type="xbrli:monetaryItemType" substitutionGroup="xbrli:item" xbrli:periodType="duration" nillable="true" abstract="false"/>
</xsd:schema>
