WUHAN -- A new air cargo route was launched on Saturday morning linking Ezhou Huahu Airport in Central China's Hubei province with Lahore in Pakistan, said SF Airlines, China's largest air cargo carrier in fleet size.

The Ezhou-Lahore cargo route is the first international air cargo route launched by SF Airlines in this year departing from Ezhou Huahu Airport, China's first cargo-focused airport, the airline said.

Three weekly round-trip air cargo flights are scheduled between Ezhou and the provincial capital city Lahore of Pakistan's east Punjab province.

This new route will bring a total of around 300 tons of air express capacity per week, sustaining logistics between China and Pakistan with efficient and stable air transport services, according to the airline.

The Ezhou Huahu Airport, which began operations in July 2022, is a cargo-focused hub airport with extensive cargo traffic and some passenger traffic. In April 2023, it opened its first international cargo route.

SF Airlines, the aviation branch of China's leading courier enterprise SF Express, to date has launched a total of 11 international cargo routes from Ezhou to global destinations, said the cargo airline.