The Christchurch based Lyttelton Port has recently aid that the company has been able to make a very strong start of the fiscal year as it has been able to beat the forecasts of $NZ10 million ($A7.69 million) in the first quarter.

The port also said that it has been able to clock a profit of close to $9.8 million in the year to June 30 in a situation where in almost 60 per cent of its net profit after tax was in the second half of that year.

The Chairman of the company Rodger Fisher told the annual meeting on Thursday that the port has been able to make a perfect start to the financial year and the company plans to keep the momentum going on in the coming times.

However, the Chairman took no time in mentioning the fact that it is very difficult for the company to forecast the full year results mainly because of the fact that the high magnitude earthquake that occurred in Christchurch on September 4 has left a devastating impact.

It is believed that the insurance claim of the company was of a hefty amount for the damages done by the earthquake.