What Moffatt & Nichol does

Moffatt & Nichol is a privately held global infrastructure advisory and engineering firm founded in 1945 and headquartered in Long Beach, California. The firm employs more than 1,200 engineers, planners, and specialists across offices in North America, Europe, the Middle East, Latin America, and Asia Pacific, and has completed more than 14,000 projects since inception. It serves port authorities, federal and state government agencies, defense clients, infrastructure investors, and select private-sector owners across six service lines: Ports, Transportation, Water, Commercial, Environment, and Architecture & Landscape.

The firm's core technology stack centers on FlexTerm™, a proprietary digital twin and simulation platform used to model terminal layouts, vessel fleets, and throughput scenarios before construction, alongside NextPort, an emerging maritime technology solution. Service delivery relies on direct, project-based consulting engagements with government agencies (e.g., U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, NAVFAC, U.S. Coast Guard), port authorities (Port of Long Beach, Westport, Klaipėda Seaport), and enterprise clients (Meraas, Global Port Holdings). Pricing is not publicly disclosed; engagements are structured as professional services contracts, IDIQ vehicles, and government procurement awards. Recent strategic activity — including joint ventures with Burns & McDonnell on the NAVFAC Atlantic A-E IDIQ, partnership with Norconsult on Nordic offshore wind, and appointment to Australia's Westport Program — indicates active expansion of both customer base and geographic reach.

Name

Moffatt & Nichol

Legal name

Moffatt & Nichol

Website

https://moffattnichol.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1945

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

501–1,000 employees

Short description

Moffatt & Nichol is a global, privately held infrastructure engineering and advisory firm specializing in ports, coastal, water, and transportation projects for government agencies, port authorities, defense clients, and infrastructure investors, supported by the proprietary FlexTerm™ digital twin platform.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Long Beach

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices66 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Engineering and Planning Services: Professional services revenue generated through planning, design, engineering, and advisory services for ports, water infrastructure, transportation, and commercial projects. Services are delivered to government agencies, port authorities, and private sector clients on a project basis.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Moffatt & Nichol is a global infrastructure advisory firm delivering planning, design, and engineering services for ports, transportation systems, water infrastructure, coastal environments, commercial developments, and architecture/landscape projects. The firm operates six core service areas (Ports, Transportation, Water, Commercial, Environment, and Architecture & Landscape) and employs over 1,200 engineers, planners, and problem-solvers across offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific. Services are delivered through proprietary tools such as the FlexTerm™ digital twin simulation platform and the emerging NextPort technology solution.

Product overview

Moffatt & Nichol is a global infrastructure advisory firm specializing in planning and design services for facilities that shape coastlines, harbors, rivers, and transportation systems. The company operates as a multi-service engineering consultancy offering six core service areas: Ports, Transportation, Water, Commercial, Environment, and Architecture & Landscape. Within these service lines, the firm provides specialized offerings including FlexTerm™ (a proprietary digital twin and simulation platform), NextPort (emerging technology solution), and various advisory services such as Data-Led Strategic Advisory, Lender's Advisory, M&A Due Diligence, and Market Studies. Engineering services span container terminals, offshore wind, LNG/oil/gas energy, coastal resilience, and waterfront development. The company has a team of over 1,200 professionals across offices in North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia Pacific.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• FlexTerm™: Proprietary digital twin and simulation platform for port and terminal planning and optimization
• Living with Water®

Products and services

• FlexTerm™ Proprietary digital twin and simulation platform used for advanced testing of operational concepts, vessel fleets, terminal layouts, and throughput scenarios before construction. Used for port and container terminal planning, optimization, and design.
• Ports Services Efficient, high-capacity port infrastructure design services that streamline cargo movement and reduce delays for port authorities, terminal operators, and cargo terminal developers.
• Transportation Services Planning and design of highways, bridges, and rail systems for safer, faster transportation infrastructure projects.
• Water Services Flood risk management, erosion control, and water system improvement services for stronger shorelines and coastal assets.
• Commercial Services Cargo forecasting, operational analysis, and investment planning services to assess project viability for port and infrastructure commercial developments.
• Environment Services Restoration, protection, and mitigation efforts with complex regulatory navigation for ecosystem and environmental infrastructure projects.
• Architecture & Landscape Services Architecture and landscape design services shaped by context — sensitive, enduring, and thoughtfully integrated with place and time.
• Data-Led Strategic Advisory Expert analysis and data-led advisory to guide project decisions in maritime and infrastructure sectors.
• Lender's Advisory Services Technical risk assessment and feasibility advisory services for lenders financing infrastructure projects.
• M&A Due Diligence Commercial insights and due diligence support for infrastructure mergers and acquisitions transactions.
• Market Studies and Cargo Projections Market analysis to guide planning and cargo flow forecasting for port and infrastructure investments.
• Container and Cargo Facilities Terminal design services to streamline freight logistics for container and cargo handling facilities.
• LNG, Oil, and Gas Energy Marine terminal design services for energy infrastructure serving LNG, oil, and gas projects.
• Offshore Wind Terminal Design Solutions Planning and design services for terminals supporting offshore wind project staging, fabrication, and transport.
• Asset Risk Management Inspection and safeguarding of coastal assets through structured risk management approaches.
• Coastal Engineering Resilient coastal structure delivery services including design and engineering for shoreline protection.
• Coastal Resilience Planning services for stronger, adaptive coastlines facing climate and sea level rise impacts.
• Flood and Coastal Risk Management Flood and erosion risk addressing services for coastal and waterfront communities.
• Waterfront Development Safe, lasting waterfront design and engineering services for urban and community developments.
• NextPort Emerging technology solution for the maritime industry.

Quantifiable outcome

• Treasure Island sea level rise adaptation strategy received Governor's Award for Environmental and Economic Leadership in Sustainable Communities
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers13 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature1 record

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered core and strategic.

• Worley-Arcadis Joint Venture (WAJV)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Moffatt & Nichol appointed as specialist sub-consultant to WAJV, the Marine and Port Infrastructure Technical Advisor for Western Australia's Westport Program. Provides commercial fleet forecasting, port and container terminal planning and optimization, design optimization, and acts as Proxy Operator for the new container port development.
• Burns & McDonnellcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2026Joint venture awarded NAVFAC Atlantic A-E IDIQ supporting the Mid-Atlantic SIOP program. Combined capabilities for defense and military construction projects.
• NorconsultcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 December 2025Strategic partnership to spearhead offshore wind port development across the Nordics. Combined expertise for planning and design of infrastructure supporting offshore wind energy projects.
• PacRim EngineeringstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 December 2024SBA-approved mentor-protégé relationship to support shared capabilities on infrastructure projects, emphasizing defense and military construction work throughout the U.S. and its territories. Amplifies capabilities of both firms for federal clients.
• Waggonner & BallstrategicStrategic or Co-development Partner · 8 July 2024Moffatt & Nichol Studio partnership applying the Living with Water® collaborative approach to San Rafael sea level rise adaptation planning. Combines expertise in coastal engineering with urban resilience methodologies.
• Westport (Western Australia)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWorking collaboratively with Westport and WAJV to provide specialist expertise in commercial fleet forecasting, port and container terminal planning, and design optimization for the new world-class container port in Kwinana Industrial Area.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• COWI: COWI is a Danish engineering consultancy with a leading international port, marine, and coastal infrastructure practice, particularly strong in Northern Europe and on large offshore wind terminal projects. Its service scope (planning, design, asset management for ports and coastal structures) closely mirrors Moffatt & Nichol's port and water service lines.
• Norconsult: Norconsult is Norway's largest multidisciplinary engineering consultancy with significant port, coastal, and offshore wind port infrastructure expertise. It is also M&N's strategic partner for Nordic offshore wind port development, evidencing deep service overlap. Comparable in size and specialization profile to Moffatt & Nichol.
• Burns & McDonnell: Burns & McDonnell is a US-based engineering, construction, and architecture firm with strong federal/defense and ports/maritime practices. It is M&N's JV partner on the NAVFAC Atlantic A-E IDIQ, evidencing direct collaborative and competitive overlap on federal military construction and infrastructure projects.
• Royal HaskoningDHV: Royal HaskoningDHV is a Dutch-headquartered global engineering consultancy with one of the world's most recognized port and maritime infrastructure practices, directly competing with Moffatt & Nichol on container terminal, coastal, and waterway projects across EMEA, APAC, and Africa. Its Ports & Waterways division offers a near-identical service mix (planning, design, simulation, asset management), making it the closest functional peer.

Broad incumbents

• Arcadis: Arcadis is a global design, engineering, and consultancy firm with a dedicated Ports and Maritime practice. Notably, Arcadis is a JV partner (Worley-Arcadis JV) that has retained M&N on the Westport Program, evidencing direct competitive and collaborative overlap in port planning. Competes broadly across M&N's coastal and water infrastructure service lines.
• AECOM: AECOM is the world's largest engineering and infrastructure consultancy, with deep port, coastal, and federal services capabilities. Competes with M&N on large US federal contracts (USACE, NAVFAC) and international port master plans, often as prime contractor to which M&N may serve as sub-consultant.
• Stantec: Stantec is a multi-disciplinary engineering consultancy with a strong North American port and coastal practice, materially expanded through its acquisition of Baird (specialist in port and marine engineering). Competes with M&N on container terminal, cruise port, and waterfront redevelopment projects, particularly in North America.
• WSP Global: WSP is a global professional services firm with a substantial port, coastal, and transportation practice (built around acquired Parsons Brinckerhoff). While it operates broadly across property, environment, and energy, its maritime infrastructure work competes head-to-head with M&N on large port master plans and federal contracts. Scale and acquisition firepower differentiate it from M&N.
• Mott MacDonald: Mott MacDonald is a global engineering, management, and development consultancy with strong port, maritime, and water practices, particularly in the UK, Asia, and Middle East. Its advisory and design services directly overlap with M&N's port master planning and coastal resilience work for major international clients.
• Jacobs Solutions: Jacobs is a major global engineering services firm with substantial federal, port, water, and coastal practices, and is a frequent competitor for USACE, NAVFAC, and international port programs. While its portfolio spans critical mission solutions and advanced facilities, the water/port segment overlaps directly with Moffatt & Nichol's offerings.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/moffattnichol

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Moffatt & Nichol