BEIJING -- China CNR Corporation Limited, one of the country's biggest train manufacturers, on Friday began delivering a freight locomotive to Estonia, marking the country's first such export to the EU nation, according to the company.

The train has left a workshop in southern Beijing and will be loaded onto a container ship in the nearby city of Tianjin before heading for Estonia, the company said.

The DF7G-E locomotive had to meet 173 stringent quality standards throughout the design, manufacturing and testing process, the company said.

The locomotive is equipped with snowplows on both sides to ensure safe passage during the heavy snowfalls often experienced in Estonia, the company said.

The vehicle will be used to lead heavy-haul and short-haul trains.

According to the contract, CNR will send 16 such locomotives to Estonia over the next year and a half in order to upgrade the country's transportation facilities.

CNR was created following a reorganization of the China Northern Locomotive and Rolling Stock Industry (Group) in June 2008. Its products are used in over 40 countries and regions.