Hawaii’s largest ocean cargo transportation company is projecting its biggest profit last year will come from the final three months of 2020.

Matson Inc. said Monday that a preliminary calculation of its earnings during the October-December period is between $76.1 million and $81.6 million.

Even at the low end, the estimate would represent the biggest quarterly profit last year for Matson.

In the same quarter a year before, Matson earned $15.6 million.

Matson’s profit in the third quarter last year was $70.9 million, and followed earnings of $32.8 million in the second quarter and $3.8 million in the first quarter.

Since the second quarter, Matson has been publicly sharing preliminary financial results ahead of normal quarterly earnings reports. The normal report for the fourth quarter is scheduled to be finished and released Feb. 23.

Honolulu-based Matson has boosted its profit this year mainly from expanded service from China after the coronavirus pandemic began.

During the second quarter, the company more than doubled its service from China by chartering several containerships in response to strong customer demand for personal protective equipment, cleaning products, home improvement supplies, electronics for working from home and many e-commerce goods.

Matt Cox, Matson chairman and CEO, said in a statement that the strong demand for the China serv­ice is expected to continue for the first half of this year and to some extent even after an expected subsidence in COVID-19 from widespread vaccination.

Matson said it carried 139% more cargo in its China service during the last quarter of 2020.

Hawaii container volume for Matson in the recent quarter was up 1% primarily due to one additional arrival during the quarter compared with a year earlier. Hawaii cargo volume in the quarter included more sustenance and home improvement goods partially offset by fewer goods related to tourism, Matson said.

Matson also reported a 19% increase in cargo volume for its Alaska service and a 4% increase for its Guam service in the recent quarter, compared with a year earlier.