Aeronautical Engineers, Inc. (AEI) is to provide Macquarie AirFinance with four 737-800SF freighter conversions after the companies entered into an agreement to that effect.

The aircraft will be converted by Commercial Jet in Miami, Florida, under authorisation from AEI.

Macquarie said the freighters would help meet the growing demand in e-commerce and express cargo, while the conversions enabled the useful life of aircraft to be extended up to 40 years.

“We welcome Macquarie AirFinance to the AEI family of satisfied customers and are glad they have chosen the AEI 737-800SF freighter conversion,” said AEI senior vice president of sales & marketing Robert Convey.

“Beyond the benefits of lower fuel consumption and operating costs compared to older 737 Classic freighters, the AEI B737-800SF freighter was designed for operational dependability in real-world environments, which is especially beneficial in the fast-paced segment of express cargo.”

Macquarie AirFinance chief executive officer John Willingham commented: “We are pleased to partner with AEI to offer our customers in the air cargo sector a proven and efficient way to expand their operations and replace less efficient aircraft.

“We are seeing particularly strong demand in the express freight sector as the e-commerce industry continues to grow. As one of the largest lessor owners of mature 737-800 aircraft, it makes business sense to extend their life and continue to evolve our offering.”