Voyager Aviation Holdings entered into an agreement with AirBridgeCargo Airlines and Volga-Dnepr Group to convert the operating lease on one of Voyager’s 747-8F aircraft into a finance lease. Amedeo, Voyager’s asset-management partner, supported and helped arrange the transaction.

The transaction is the second conversion of a 747-8F operating lease with AirBridgeCargo (part of Volga-Dnepr Group) to a finance lease.

“This second lease conversion, following the first transaction announced on Dec. 14, 2020, is indicative of the continued strength of the cargo market and performance of AirBridgeCargo and Volga-Dnepr,” Mike Lungariello, president and CEO of Voyager, said. “Voyager is pleased to offer innovative financing solutions to our customers, and we will continue to do so in the future when opportunities present themselves.”

“Amedeo is pleased to have provided Voyager with best-in-class portfolio management, unique structuring and execution capabilities,” Mark Lapidus, CEO of Amedeo, said.

The transaction will provide Voyager with additional liquidity. Voyager intends to use the net proceeds from the transaction for general corporate purposes. In addition, the aircraft will remain in the Voyager fleet and the company will continue to receive periodic cash flow to equity.

“The restructuring of the AirBridgeCargo fleet — of which the Voyager transactions have been integral — and our long-term stake in the B747-8F are part of the group’s strategy. We are grateful to the team of Amedeo and Voyager for their support of our efforts and their willingness to pursue creative solutions for financing the buyout of two ABC B747-8F aircraft,” Tatyana Arslanova, CEO of Volga-Dnepr Group, said. “We plan to continue implementing this program to increase our investment attractiveness, including through projects which change the AirBridgeCargo fleet ownership structure.”