WUHAN, April 1 -- A Belgium-bound all-cargo aircraft loaded with some 100 tonnes of freight took off at around 11 a.m. Saturday at the Ezhou Huahu Airport in central China's Hubei Province.

This flight marks the opening of the first international route of China's first cargo-focused airport.

This route is scheduled to provide two round-trip cargo flights each week between China and Europe, adding 400 tonnes of air express capacity, according to the aircraft's operator SF Airlines, China's largest air-cargo carrier.

The Ezhou Huahu Airport was put into operation in July 2022. It is positioned as a cargo-focused hub airport with extensive cargo traffic but little passenger traffic. It is expected to open 40 domestic freight routes and about four international freight routes by the end of this year.

SF Airlines's Ezhou Base was officially opened on the same day, and it will provide services for the company and other airlines in the future, according to SF Airlines.