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                                                                   Exhibit 10(a)

                                 TIDEWATER INC.
                            2001 STOCK INCENTIVE PLAN

         1. Purpose. The purpose of the 2001 Stock Incentive Plan (the "Plan")
of Tidewater Inc. ("Tidewater") is to increase shareholder value and to advance
the interests of Tidewater and its subsidiaries (collectively, the "Company") by
furnishing stock-based economic incentives (the "Incentives") designed to
attract, retain and motivate key employees, officers and directors and to
strengthen the mutuality of interests between such employees, officers and
directors and Tidewater's shareholders. Incentives consist of opportunities to
purchase or receive shares of common stock, $.10 par value per share, of
Tidewater (the "Common Stock"), on terms determined under the Plan. As used in
the Plan, the term "subsidiary" means any corporation, limited liability company
or other entity, of which Tidewater owns (directly or indirectly) within the
meaning of Section 425(f) of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986, as amended (the
"Code"), 50% or more of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock,
membership interests or other equity interests issued thereby.

         2. Administration.

            2.1. Composition. The Plan shall be administered by the Compensation
Committee of the Board of Directors of Tidewater or by a subcommittee thereof
(the "Committee"). The Committee shall consist of not fewer than two members of
the Board of Directors, each of whom shall (a) qualify as a "non-employee
director" under Rule 16b-3 under the Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (the "1934
Act") or any successor rule, and (b) qualify as an "outside director" under
Section 162(m) of the Code.

            2.2. Authority. The Committee shall have plenary authority to award
Incentives under the Plan, to interpret the Plan, to establish any rules or
regulations relating to the Plan that it determines to be appropriate, to enter
into agreements with or provide notices to participants as to the terms of the
Incentives (the "Incentive Agreements") and to make any other determination that
it believes necessary or advisable for the proper administration of the Plan.
Its decisions in matters relating to the Plan shall be final and conclusive on
the Company and participants. The Committee may delegate its authority hereunder
to the extent provided in Section 3 hereof. Directors who are not also employees
of the Company ("Outside Directors") may receive awards under the Plan only as
specifically provided in Section 9 hereof.

         3. Eligible Participants. Key employees and officers of the Company
(including officers who also serve as directors of the Company) shall become
eligible to receive Incentives under the Plan when designated by the Committee.
Employees may be designated individually or by groups or categories, as the
Committee deems appropriate. With respect to participants not subject to Section
16 of the 1934 Act or Section 162(m) of the Code, the Committee may delegate to
appropriate officers of the Company its authority to designate participants, to
determine the size and type of Incentives to be received by those participants
and to set and modify the terms of the Incentives; provided, however, that the
per share exercise price of any options granted by an officer, rather than by
the Committee, shall be equal to the Fair Market Value (as defined below).
Outside Directors may participate in the Plan only as specifically provided in
Section 9 hereof.

                                   -1-      As amended through November 21, 2002

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         4. Types of Incentives. Incentives may be granted under the Plan to
eligible participants in the forms of (a) incentive stock options; (b)
non-qualified stock options; (c) restricted stock and (d) Other Stock-Based
Awards (as defined in Section 8 hereof).

         5. Shares Subject to the Plan.

            5.1. Number of Shares. Subject to adjustment as provided in Section
10.5, the maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be delivered to
participants and their beneficiaries under the Plan shall be 2,850,000 shares.

            5.2. Share Counting. To the extent any shares of Common Stock
covered by a stock option are not delivered to a participant or beneficiary
because the Option is forfeited or canceled, or shares of Common Stock are not
delivered because an Incentive is paid or settled in cash or used to satisfy the
applicable tax withholding obligation, such shares shall not be deemed to have
been delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock available for delivery under this Plan. In the event that shares of
Common Stock are issued as an Incentive and thereafter are forfeited or
reacquired by the Company pursuant to rights reserved upon issuance thereof,
such forfeited and reacquired Shares may again be issued under the Plan. If the
exercise price of any stock option granted under the Plan or the applicable
withholding tax obligation is satisfied by tendering shares of Common Stock to
the Company (by either actual delivery or by attestation), only the number of
shares of Common Stock issued net of the shares of Common Stock tendered shall
be deemed delivered for purposes of determining the maximum number of shares of
Common Stock available for delivery under the Plan.

            5.3. Limitations on Number of Shares. Subject to Section 10.5, the
following additional limitations are imposed under the Plan:

                 A. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be
         issued upon exercise of stock options intended to qualify as incentive
         stock options under Section 422 of the Code shall be 2,850,000 shares.
         Notwithstanding any other provision herein to the contrary, (i) all
         shares issuable under incentive stock options shall be counted against
         this limit and (ii) shares that are issued and are later forfeited,
         cancelled or reacquired by the Company, shares withheld to satisfy
         withholding tax obligations and shares delivered in payment of the
         Option price shall have no effect on this limitation.

                 B. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be
         covered by Incentives granted under the Plan to any one individual
         during any one calendar-year period shall be 500,000.

                 C. The maximum number of shares of Common Stock that may be
         issued as restricted stock and Other Stock-Based Awards (as defined in
         Section 8) shall be 300,000 shares.

            5.4. Type of Common Stock. Common Stock issued under the Plan may be
authorized and unissued shares or issued shares held as treasury shares.

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         6. Stock Options. A stock option is a right to purchase shares of
Common Stock from Tidewater. Stock options granted under the Plan may be
incentive stock options (as such term is defined in Section 422 of the Code) or
non-qualified stock options. Any option that is designated as a non-qualified
stock option shall not be treated as an incentive stock option. Each stock
option granted by the Committee under this Plan shall be subject to the
following terms and conditions:

            6.1. Price. The exercise price per share shall be determined by the
Committee, subject to adjustment under Section 10.5; provided that in no event
shall the exercise price be less than the Fair Market Value of a share of Common
Stock on the date of grant, except in case of a stock option granted in
assumption or substitution for an outstanding award of a company acquired by the
Company or with which the Company combines.

            6.2. Number. The number of shares of Common Stock subject to the
option shall be determined by the Committee, subject to Section 5 and subject to
adjustment as provided in Section 10.5.

            6.3. Duration and Time for Exercise. The term of each stock option
shall be determined by the Committee. Each stock option shall become exercisable
at such time or times during its term as shall be determined by the Committee.
Notwithstanding the foregoing, the Committee may accelerate the exercisability
of any stock option at any time, in addition to the automatic acceleration of
stock options under Section 10.11.

            6.4. Manner of Exercise. A stock option may be exercised, in whole
or in part, by giving written notice to the Company, specifying the number of
shares of Common Stock to be purchased. The exercise notice shall be accompanied
by the full purchase price for such shares. The option price shall be payable in
United States dollars and may be paid by (a) cash; (b) uncertified or certified
check; (c) by delivery of shares of Common Stock which, unless otherwise
determined by the Committee, shall have been held by the optionee for at least
six months, and which shares shall be valued for this purpose at the Fair Market
Value on the business day immediately preceding the date such option is
exercised; or (d) in such other manner as may be authorized from time to time by
the Committee.

            6.5. Incentive Stock Options. Notwithstanding anything in the Plan
to the contrary, the following additional provisions shall apply to the grant of
stock options that are intended to qualify as incentive stock options (as such
term is defined in Section 422 of the Code):

                 A. Any incentive stock option agreement authorized under the
         Plan shall contain such other provisions as the Committee shall deem
         advisable, but shall in all events be consistent with and contain or be
         deemed to contain all provisions required in order to qualify the
         options as incentive stock options.

                 B. All incentive stock options must be granted within ten years
         from the date on which this Plan is adopted by the Board of Directors.

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                 C. Unless sooner exercised, all incentive stock options shall
         expire no later than ten years after the date of grant.

                 D. No incentive stock options shall be granted to any
         participant who, at the time such option is granted, would own (within
         the meaning of Section 422 of the Code) stock possessing more than 10%
         of the total combined voting power of all classes of stock of the
         employer corporation or of its parent or subsidiary corporation.

                 E. The aggregate Fair Market Value (determined with respect to
         each incentive stock option as of the time such incentive stock option
         is granted) of the Common Stock with respect to which incentive stock
         options are exercisable for the first time by a participant during any
         calendar year (under the Plan or any other plan of Tidewater or any of
         its subsidiaries) shall not exceed $100,000. To the extent that such
         limitation is exceeded, such options shall not be treated, for federal
         income tax purposes, as incentive stock options.

         7. Restricted Stock.

            7.1. Grant of Restricted Stock. The Committee may award shares of
restricted stock to such officers and key employees as the Committee determines
pursuant to the terms of Section 3. An award of restricted stock shall be
subject to such restrictions on transfer and forfeitability provisions and such
other terms and conditions, including the attainment of specified performance
goals, as the Committee may determine, subject to the provisions of the Plan. To
the extent restricted stock is intended to qualify as "performance-based
compensation" under Section 162(m) of the Code ("Section 162(m)"), it must be
granted subject to the attainment of performance goals as described in Section
7.2 below and meet the additional requirements imposed by Section 162(m).

            7.2 Performance-Based Restricted Stock. To the extent that
restricted stock granted under the Plan is intended to qualify as
"performance-based compensation" under Section 162(m), the performance goals
pursuant to which the restricted stock shall vest shall be any or a combination
of the following performance measures applied to the Company, Tidewater, a
division or a subsidiary: earnings per share, return on assets, an economic
value added measure, shareholder return, earnings, stock price, return on
equity, return on total capital, safety performance, reduction of expenses or
increase in cash flow. For any performance period, such performance objectives
may be measured on an absolute basis or relative to a group of peer companies
selected by the Committee, relative to internal goals or relative to levels
attained in prior years. If the performance-based restricted stock is intended
to qualify as performance-based compensation under Section 162(m), the Committee
may not waive any of the pre-established performance goal objectives, except for
an automatic waiver under Section 10.10 hereof, or as may be provided by the
Committee in the event of death or disability.

            7.3. The Restricted Period. At the time an award of restricted stock
is made, the Committee shall establish a period of time during which the
transfer of the shares of restricted stock shall be restricted and after which
the shares of restricted stock shall be vested (the

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"Restricted Period"). Except for shares of restricted stock that vest based on
the attainment of performance goals, the Restricted Period shall be a minimum of
three years, with incremental vesting of portions of the award over the
three-year period permitted. If the vesting of the shares of restricted stock is
based upon the attainment of performance goals, a minimum Restricted Period of
one year or more is permitted, with incremental vesting of portions of the award
over the one-year period permitted. Each award of restricted stock may have a
different Restricted Period. The expiration of the Restricted Period shall also
occur as provided under Section 10.3 and under the conditions described in
Section 10.10 hereof.

          7.4. Escrow. The participant receiving restricted stock shall enter
into an Incentive Agreement with the Company setting forth the conditions of the
grant. Certificates representing shares of restricted stock shall be registered
in the name of the participant and deposited with the Company, together with a
stock power endorsed in blank by the participant. Each such certificate shall
bear a legend in substantially the following form:

     The transferability of this certificate and the shares of Common Stock
     represented by it are subject to the terms and conditions (including
     conditions of forfeiture) contained in the Tidewater Inc. 2001 Stock
     Incentive Plan (the "Plan"), and an agreement entered into between the
     registered owner and Tidewater Inc. thereunder. Copies of the Plan and the
     agreement are on file at the principal office of the Company.

          7.5. Dividends on Restricted Stock. Any and all cash and stock
dividends paid with respect to the shares of restricted stock shall be subject
to any restrictions on transfer, forfeitability provisions or reinvestment
requirements as the Committee may, in its discretion, prescribe in the Incentive
Agreement.

          7.6. Forfeiture. In the event of the forfeiture of any shares of
restricted stock under the terms provided in the Incentive Agreement (including
any additional shares of restricted stock that may result from the reinvestment
of cash and stock dividends, if so provided in the Incentive Agreement), such
forfeited shares shall be surrendered and the certificates cancelled. The
participants shall have the same rights and privileges, and be subject to the
same forfeiture provisions, with respect to any additional shares received
pursuant to Section 10.5 due to a recapitalization, merger or other change in
capitalization.

          7.7. Expiration of Restricted Period. Upon the expiration or
termination of the Restricted Period and the satisfaction of any other
conditions prescribed by the Committee, the restrictions applicable to the
restricted stock shall lapse and a stock certificate for the number of shares of
restricted stock with respect to which the restrictions have lapsed shall be
delivered, free of all such restrictions and legends, except any that may be
imposed by law, to the participant or the participant's estate, as the case may
be.

          7.8. Rights as a Shareholder. Subject to the terms and conditions of
the Plan and subject to any restrictions on the receipt of dividends that may be
imposed in the Incentive Agreement, each participant receiving restricted stock
shall have all the rights of a shareholder

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with respect to shares of stock during the Restricted Period, including without
limitation, the right to vote any shares of Common Stock.

     8.  Other Stock-Based Awards.

         8.1 Grant of Other Stock-Based Awards. The Committee may grant to
eligible participants "Other Stock-Based Awards," which shall consist of awards,
other than options or restricted stock provided for in Sections 6 and 7, the
value of which is based in whole or in part on the value of shares of Common
Stock. Other Stock-Based Awards may be awards of shares of Common Stock or may
be denominated or payable in, valued in whole or in part by reference to, or
otherwise based on or related to, shares of, or appreciation in the value of,
Common Stock (including, without limitation, securities convertible or
exchangeable into or exercisable for shares of Common Stock), as deemed by the
Committee consistent with the purposes of this Plan. The Committee shall
determine the terms and conditions of any Other Stock-Based Award (including
which rights of a shareholder, if any, the recipient shall have with respect to
Common Stock associated with any such award) and may provide that such award is
payable in whole or in part in cash. An Other Stock-Based Award may be subject
to the attainment of such specified performance goals or targets as the
Committee may determine, subject to the provisions of this Plan. To the extent
that an Other Stock-Based Award is intended to qualify as "performance-based
compensation" under Section 162(m), it must meet the additional requirements
imposed thereby.

         8.2 Performance-Based Other Stock-Based Awards. Any grant of an Other
Stock-Based Award that is intended to qualify as "performance-based
compensation" under Section 162(m) shall be conditioned on the achievement of
one or more performance goals. The performance goals pursuant to which the Other
Stock-Based Award shall vest shall be any or a combination of the following
measures applied to the Company, Tidewater, a subsidiary or a division: earnings
per share, return on assets, an economic value added measure, shareholder
return, earnings, stock price, return on equity, return on total capital, safety
performance, reduction of expenses or increase in cash flow. For any performance
period, such performance objectives may be measured on an absolute basis or
relative to a group of peer companies selected by the Committee, relative to
internal goals or relative to levels attained in prior years. For grants of
Other Stock-Based Awards intended to qualify as "performance-based
compensation," the grants of Other Stock-Based Awards and the establishment of
performance measures shall be made during the period required under Section
162(m).

         8.3 Limitations. Other Stock-Based Awards granted under this Section 8
shall be subject to vesting periods that are equivalent in length to the
Restricted Periods for restricted stock described in Section 7.3 hereof, except
that the Committee may make special awards under this Section 8 with respect to
an aggregate of no more than 100,000 shares of Common Stock, as adjusted under
Section 10.5, which special awards shall not be subject to the minimum vesting
period requirements described in Section 7.3.

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     9.  Stock Options for Outside Directors.

         9.1   Grant of Options. During the period beginning on the day
following the 2001 annual meeting of stockholders and ending on the day of the
2002 annual meeting of stockholders and during each period between annual
meetings thereafter, for as long as the Plan remains in effect and shares of
Common Stock remain available for issuance hereunder, each Outside Director may
be granted non-qualified stock options to purchase up to 5,000 shares of Common
Stock, the exact number of which shall be set by the Committee.

         9.2   Exercisability of Stock Options. The stock options granted to
Outside Directors under this Section 9 shall be exercisable six months after the
date of grant and shall expire no later than ten years following the date of
grant.

         9.3   Exercise Price. The Exercise Price of the Stock Options granted
to Outside Directors shall be equal to the Fair Market Value, as defined in the
Plan, of a share of Common Stock on the date of grant. The Exercise Price may be
paid as provided in Section 6.4 hereof.

         9.4   Exercise After Termination of Board Service. In the event an
Outside Director ceases to serve on the Board, the stock options granted
hereunder must be exercised, to the extent otherwise exercisable at the time of
termination of Board service, within one year from termination of Board service;
provided, however, that

               A. In the event of termination of Board service as a result of
     death or disability, the stock options must be exercised within two years
     from the date of termination of Board service; and

               B. In the event of termination of Board service as a result of
     retirement (at age 65 or later or after having completed five or more years
     of service on the Board), the stock options must be exercised within five
     years from the date of termination of Board service;

     and further provided, that no stock options may be exercised later than ten
     years after the date of grant.

     10. General.

         10.1. Duration. Subject to Section 10.9, the Plan shall remain in
effect until all Incentives granted under the Plan have either been satisfied by
the issuance of shares of Common Stock or otherwise or been terminated under the
terms of the Plan and all restrictions imposed on shares of Common Stock in
connection with their issuance under the Plan have lapsed.

         10.2. Transferability. No Incentives granted hereunder may be
transferred, pledged, assigned or otherwise encumbered by a participant except:
(a) by will; (b) by the laws of descent and distribution; (c) pursuant to a
domestic relations order, as defined in the Code, if

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permitted by the Committee and so provided in the Incentive Agreement or an
amendment thereto; or (d) as to options only, if permitted by the Committee and
so provided in the Incentive Agreement or an amendment thereto, (i) to Immediate
Family Members, (ii) to a partnership in which Immediate Family Members, or
entities in which Immediate Family Members are the sole owners, members or
beneficiaries, as appropriate, are the sole partners, (iii) to a limited
liability company in which Immediate Family Members, or entities in which
Immediate Family Members are the sole owners, members or beneficiaries, as
appropriate, are the sole members, or (iv) to a trust for the sole benefit of
Immediate Family Members. "Immediate Family Members" shall be defined as the
spouse and natural or adopted children or grandchildren of the participant and
their spouses. To the extent that an incentive stock option is permitted to be
transferred during the lifetime of the participant, it shall be treated
thereafter as a nonqualified stock option. Any attempted assignment, transfer,
pledge, hypothecation or other disposition of Incentives, or levy of attachment
or similar process upon Incentives not specifically permitted herein, shall be
null and void and without effect.

          10.3. Effect of Termination of Employment or Death. Except as provided
in Section 9.4 with respect to Outside Directors, in the event that a
participant ceases to be an employee of the Company for any reason, including
death, disability, early retirement or normal retirement, any Incentives may be
exercised, shall vest or shall expire at such times as may be determined by the
Committee and provided in the Incentive Agreement. The Committee has complete
authority to modify the treatment of an Incentive in the event of termination of
employment of a participant by means of an amendment to the Incentive Agreement.
Consent of the participant to the modification is required only if the
modification materially impairs the rights previously provided to the
participant in the Incentive Agreement.

          10.4. Additional Condition. Anything in this Plan to the contrary
notwithstanding: (a) the Company may, if it shall determine it necessary or
desirable for any reason, at the time of award of any Incentive or the issuance
of any shares of Common Stock pursuant to any Incentive, require the recipient
of the Incentive, as a condition to the receipt thereof or to the receipt of
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant thereto, to deliver to the Company a
written representation of present intention to acquire the Incentive or the
shares of Common Stock issued pursuant thereto for his own account for
investment and not for distribution; and (b) if at any time the Company further
determines, in its sole discretion, that the listing, registration or
qualification (or any updating of any such document) of any Incentive or the
shares of Common Stock issuable pursuant thereto is necessary on any securities
exchange or under any federal or state securities or blue sky law, or that the
consent or approval of any governmental regulatory body is necessary or
desirable as a condition of, or in connection with the award of any Incentive,
the issuance of shares of Common Stock pursuant thereto, or the removal of any
restrictions imposed on such shares, such Incentive shall not be awarded or such
shares of Common Stock shall not be issued or such restrictions shall not be
removed, as the case may be, in whole or in part, unless such listing,
registration, qualification, consent or approval shall have been effected or
obtained free of any conditions not acceptable to the Company.

          10.5. Adjustment. In the event of any merger, consolidation or
reorganization of the Company with any other corporation or corporations, there
shall be substituted for each of the shares of Common Stock then subject to the
Plan, including shares subject to restrictions,

                                       -8-

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options or achievement of performance objectives, the number and kind of shares
of stock, other securities or property (including cash) to which the holders of
the shares of Common Stock are entitled pursuant to the transaction. In the
event of any recapitalization, stock dividend, stock split, combination of
shares or other similar change in the Common Stock, the number of shares of
Common Stock then subject to the Plan, including shares subject to outstanding
Incentives, and all limitations on share issuances imposed by Section 5.3 hereof
shall be adjusted in proportion to the change in outstanding shares of Common
Stock. In the event of any such adjustments, the purchase price of any option
and the performance objectives of any Incentive, shall also be adjusted as and
to the extent appropriate, in the reasonable discretion of the Committee, to
provide participants with the same relative rights before and after such
adjustment. No substitution or adjustment shall require the Company to issue a
fractional share under the Plan and the substitution or adjustment shall be
limited by deleting any fractional share.

     10.6.  Withholding.

                   A. The Company shall have the right to withhold from any
     payments made or stock issued under the Plan or to collect as a condition
     of payment, issuance or vesting, any taxes required by law to be withheld.
     At any time that a participant is required to pay to the Company an amount
     required to be withheld under applicable income tax laws in connection with
     the lapse of restrictions on Common Stock or the exercise of an option, the
     participant may, subject to disapproval by the Committee, satisfy this
     obligation in whole or in part by electing (the "Election") to deliver
     currently owned shares of Common Stock or to have the Company withhold
     shares of Common Stock, in each case having a value equal to the minimum
     statutory amount required to be withheld under federal, state and local
     law. The value of the shares to be delivered or withheld shall be based on
     the Fair Market Value of the Common Stock on the date that the amount of
     tax to be withheld shall be determined ("Tax Date").

                   B. Each Election must be made prior to the Tax Date. The
     Committee may disapprove of any Election, may suspend or terminate the
     right to make Elections, or may provide with respect to any Incentive that
     the right to make Elections shall not apply to such Incentive. If a
     participant makes an election under Section 83(b) of the Code with respect
     to shares of restricted stock, an Election to have shares withheld to
     satisfy withholding taxes is not permitted to be made.

            10.7.  No Continued Employment. No participant under the Plan shall
have any right, because of his or her participation, to continue in the employ
of the Company for any period of time or to any right to continue his or her
present or any other rate of compensation.

            10.8.  Deferral Permitted. Payment of an Incentive may be deferred
at the option of the participant if permitted in the Incentive Agreement.

            10.9.  Amendments to or Termination of the Plan. The Board may amend
or discontinue this Plan at any time; provided, however, that no such amendment
may:

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                 A. without the approval of the shareholders, (i) increase,
     subject to adjustments permitted herein, the maximum number of shares of
     Common Stock that may be issued through the Plan, (ii) materially increase
     the benefits accruing to participants under the Plan or (iii) materially
     expand the classes of persons eligible to participate in this Plan, or

                 B. materially impair, without the consent of the recipient, an
     Incentive previously granted.

          10.10. Change of Control; Tender Offer or Exchange Offer.

                 A. Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan (or any
     provision of any agreement with respect to any grant hereunder),
     immediately prior to any Change of Control of the Company (as defined in
     Section 10.10(C) hereof), all stock options (whether non-qualified or
     incentive and whether granted to an employee or to an Outside Director)
     which are then outstanding hereunder shall become fully vested and
     exercisable and all restrictions and limitations on shares of restricted
     stock or Other Stock-Based Awards then outstanding hereunder shall
     automatically lapse and all performance criteria and other conditions
     relating to the payment of Incentives shall automatically be deemed to be
     achieved or waived by the Company. As used in the immediately preceding
     sentence, `immediately prior' to the Change of Control shall mean
     sufficiently in advance of the Change of Control to permit the grantee to
     take all steps reasonably necessary (i) if an optionee, to exercise any
     such option fully and (ii) to deal with the shares purchased or acquired
     under any such option or any Other Stock-Based Award and any formerly
     restricted shares on which restrictions have lapsed so that all types of
     shares may be treated in the same manner in connection with the Change of
     Control as the shares of Common Stock of other shareholders. To the extent,
     if any, required by section 422(d) of the Code, incentive stock options
     which become exercisable immediately prior to a Change of Control pursuant
     to this Section 10.10(A) shall thereby become non-qualified stock options.
     Notwithstanding any other provision of the Plan, including, without
     limitation, Section 10.10(B) hereof (or any provision of any agreement with
     respect to any grant hereunder), (i) any stock option which becomes
     exercisable pursuant to this Section 10.10(A) shall remain exercisable
     until the earlier of the end of the option term or the lapse of the option,
     and (ii) any lapse and deemed waiver of restrictions and limitations on any
     shares of restricted stock and any Other Stock-Based Awards pursuant to
     this Section 10.10(A) shall be a permanent lapse and deemed waiver of such
     restrictions and limitations.

                 B. If any corporation, person or other entity (other than the
     Company) makes a tender offer or exchange offer for shares of the Common
     Stock pursuant to which purchases are made (an "Offer"), then from and
     after the date of the first purchase of the Common Stock pursuant to the
     Offer (the "Acceleration Date"), all outstanding options shall
     automatically become fully exercisable, all restrictions or limitations on
     any Incentives shall lapse and all performance criteria and other
     conditions relating to the payment of Incentives shall be deemed to be
     achieved or waived by the Company, without the necessity of any action by
     any person, for a period of 30 calendar days

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     following the Acceleration Date. Subject to the other provisions of this
     Section 10.10, following the expiration of the 30-day period, any options
     not exercised and any shares of Common Stock issued hereunder not tendered
     or exchanged shall again be subject to the terms and conditions applicable
     prior to the Offer.

               C.   As used in this Section 10.10, `Change of Control' shall
     mean:

                    (i)   the acquisition by any `Person' (as defined in Section
          10.10(D) hereof) of `Beneficial Ownership' (as defined in Section
          10.10(D) hereof) of 30% or more of the outstanding shares of the
          Common Stock, or 30% or more of the combined voting power of the
          Company's then outstanding securities; provided, however, that for
          purposes of this subsection (C)(i), the following shall not constitute
          a Change of Control:

                          (a)  any acquisition (other than a `Business
               Combination' (as defined in Section 10.10(C)(iii) hereof) which
               constitutes a Change of Control under Section 10.10(C)(iii)
               hereof) of Common Stock directly from the Company,

                          (b)  any acquisition of Common Stock by the Company or
               its subsidiaries,

                          (c)  any  acquisition of Common Stock by any employee
               benefit plan (or related trust) sponsored or maintained by the
               Company or any corporation controlled by the Company, or

                          (d)  any acquisition of Common Stock by any
               corporation pursuant to a Business Combination which does not
               constitute a Change of Control under Section 10.10(C)(iii)
               hereof; or

                    (ii)  individuals who, as of the date of adoption of the
          Plan by the Board (the "Adoption Date"), constitute the Board (the
          "Incumbent Board") cease for any reason to constitute at least a
          majority of the Board; provided, however, that any individual becoming
          a director subsequent to the Adoption Date whose election, or
          nomination for election by the Company's shareholders, was approved by
          a vote of at least a majority of the directors then comprising the
          Incumbent Board shall be considered a member of the Incumbent Board,
          unless such individual's initial assumption of office occurs as a
          result of an actual or threatened election contest with respect to the
          election or removal of directors or other actual or threatened
          solicitation of proxies or consents by or on behalf of a Person other
          than the Incumbent Board; or

                    (iii) consummation of a reorganization, merger or
          consolidation (including a merger or consolidation of the Company or
          any direct or indirect subsidiary of the Company), or sale or other
          disposition of all or substantially all

                                      -11-

<PAGE>

          of the assets of the Company (a `Business Combination'), in each case,
          unless, immediately following such Business Combination,

                           (a) the individuals and entities who were the
               Beneficial Owners of the Company's outstanding Common Stock and
               the Company's voting securities entitled to vote generally in the
               election of directors immediately prior to such Business
               Combination have direct or indirect Beneficial Ownership,
               respectively, of more than 50% of the then outstanding shares of
               common stock, and more than 50% of the combined voting power of
               the then outstanding voting securities entitled to vote generally
               in the election of directors, of the Post-Transaction Corporation
               (as defined in Section 10.10(D) hereof), and

                           (b) except to the extent that such ownership existed
               prior to the Business Combination, no Person (excluding the
               Post-Transaction Corporation and any employee benefit plan or
               related trust of either the Company, the Post-Transaction
               Corporation or any subsidiary of either corporation) Beneficially
               Owns, directly or indirectly, 30% or more of the then outstanding
               shares of common stock of the corporation resulting from such
               Business Combination or 30% or more of the combined voting power
               of the then outstanding voting securities of such corporation,
               and

                           (c) at least a majority of the members of the board
               of directors of the Post-Transaction Corporation were members of
               the Incumbent Board at the time of the execution of the initial
               agreement, or of the action of the Board, providing for such
               Business Combination; or

                    (iv)   approval by the shareholders of the Company of a
          complete liquidation or dissolution of the Company.

               D.   As used in Section 10.10(C) hereof, the following words or
     terms shall have the meanings indicated:

                    (i)    Affiliate: `Affiliate' (and variants thereof) shall
          mean a Person that controls, or is controlled by, or is under common
          control with, another specified Person, either directly or indirectly.

                    (ii)   Beneficial Owner: `Beneficial Owner' (and  variants
          thereof), with respect to a security, shall mean a Person who,
          directly or indirectly (through any contract, understanding,
          relationship or otherwise), has or shares (a) the power to vote, or
          direct the voting of, the security, and/or (b) the power to dispose
          of, or to direct the disposition of, the security.

                    (iii)  Person: `Person' shall mean a natural person or
          company, and shall also mean the group or syndicate created when two
          or more Persons act

                                      -12-

<PAGE>

          as a syndicate or other group (including, without limitation, a
          partnership or limited partnership) for the purpose of acquiring,
          holding, or disposing of a security, except that `Person' shall not
          include an underwriter temporarily holding a security pursuant to an
          offering of the security.

                     (iv)  Post-Transaction Corporation: Unless a Change of
          Control includes a Business Combination (as defined in Section
          10.10(C)(iii) hereof), `Post-Transaction Corporation' shall mean the
          Company after the Change of Control. If a Change of Control includes a
          Business Combination, `Post-Transaction Corporation' shall mean the
          corporation resulting from the Business Combination unless, as a
          result of such Business Combination, an ultimate parent corporation
          controls the Company or all or substantially all of the Company's
          assets either directly or indirectly, in which case, `Post-Transaction
          Corporation' shall mean such ultimate parent corporation.

          10.11.  Definition of Fair Market Value. Whenever "Fair Market Value"
of Common Stock shall be determined for purposes of this Plan, it shall be the
closing sale price on the consolidated transaction reporting system for New York
Stock Exchange issues on the date of reference for a share of the Common Stock,
or if no sale of the Common Stock shall have been made on that day, on the next
preceding day on which there was a sale of the Common Stock.

          10.12   Loans to Optionees. In the event of a Change of Control of the
Company, as defined in Section 10.10, in connection with which a participant's
employment with the Company will be terminated and the participant is precluded
for any reason from selling shares of Common Stock, the Company shall, in
connection with the exercise of an option, if requested by the participant,
extend a loan to the participant in the maximum amount of the exercise price of
the options to be exercised, plus the maximum tax liability that may be incurred
in connection with the option exercise. Any such loan shall be unsecured, shall
be on market terms and shall be payable in full no later than thirty days after
the termination of the period during which the participant is precluded from
selling shares of Common Stock. Any participant to whom a loan is extended
hereunder shall, if requested by the Company, agree in writing not to sell
shares of Common Stock for such period as shall be requested, it being
understood that the Company's request that the participant not sell shares of
Common Stock shall only be invoked to the extent necessary to preserve or
recognize pooling-of-interests accounting treatment, tax-free reorganization
status, or comparable corporate benefits from making such a request.

     This Plan is executed effective the 21st day of November, 2002.

                                     TIDEWATER INC.


                                     By:   /s/ Cliffe F. Laborde
                                          --------------------------------------
                                                    Cliffe F. Laborde
                                                Executive Vice President,
                                              Secretary and General Counsel

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