Matson Inc. more than doubled its profit in the first quarter with help from Hawaii’s improving economy.

The Honolulu-based ocean cargo transportation firm announced Monday that it earned $9.1 million in the January-March period, up from $3.8 million in the same time frame last year.

Revenue rose to $394.7 million from $366.1 million.

Driving the profit gain was a combination of increases to Hawaii cargo volume and China freight rates, the company said.

Matson also benefited from lower expenses by operating nine ships in the recent quarter instead of 10 ships in the year-earlier quarter because repair work on a larger ship last year required use of two replacement ships.

Matt Cox, Matson president and chief executive officer, told stock market analysts on a conference call Monday that the company is off to a good start this year. "We had a good first quarter," he said. "The Hawaii economy continues to improve."

Matson’s core Hawaii service handled 34,300 containers in the first quarter, up 5.5 percent from 32,500 containers a year earlier.

Improvements in the local economy led by record tourism last year are generating higher demand for materials, most of which arrive by ship in Hawaii.

Cox said a rebound in the state’s construction industry is helping Matson’s business, though more of a boost to construction material shipments is expected next year when several high-rise construction projects are further along.

Hawaii automobile shipments on Matson surged 36.1 percent to 23,000 vehicles from 16,900 in the same comparable period, a result largely from the timing of rental car fleet replacements, Matson said.

On Guam, Matson container shipments fell 4.9 percent to 5,800 from 6,100, though part of that was due to reclassifying shipments to Yap and Palau as part of a new Micronesia/South Pacific route created from Matson’s January purchase of a small cargo carrier called Reef Shipping.

Matson’s China service volume rose 3.6 percent to 14,200 containers from 13,700 containers, and average rates rose despite general rate weakness because about half of Matson’s business in China has rates fixed by contract.

Looking ahead to the rest of this year, Matson said it expects mixed results, with weaker China rates and a moderate increase in Hawaii shipping volume. Previously, Matson had been expecting a modest, or somewhat smaller, increase in Hawaii shipping volume.

"With this solid quarter behind us, our outlook for the full year has shifted slightly higher," Cox said in a statement.

Last quarter was Matson’s third full quarter as an independent company since being separated from Alexander & Baldwin Inc. last year on June 29.

Since the split, one priority for Matson has been to lighten its debt load. The company eliminated $18 million of debt in the first quarter, bringing total debt to $301 million. Since splitting from A&B, Matson has paid off about $72 million in debt.

Shares of Matson stock closed Monday at $24.49 before the earnings announcement. The price compares with a high of $28.08 on June 29, the first day of trading, and a low of $20.16 on Oct. 1.