Rolls-Royce & Partners Finance (RRPF) will establish a direct aero-engine leasing company in Tianjin’s Dongjiang Comprehensive Bonded Zone, extending the joint venture’s footprint into China’s aviation finance market. The new entity, backed by more than 2.3 billion yuan in total investment, will own and base engines domestically rather than using the offshore ownership model common in the sector.
The move was unveiled during the China Aviation Finance (Dongjiang) International Forum in Tianjin and positions RRPF to provide leasing, asset management and full-life-cycle services to Chinese airlines. RRPF is a joint venture between Rolls-Royce and GATX and is among the world’s leading spare-engine lessors, with a portfolio spanning major commercial engine families.
By placing assets in China, the structure is designed to cut intermediary steps and ease foreign-exchange management for airlines while reducing leasing costs. It is also the first direct engine leasing operation in China by a major global engine lessor, according to the disclosure.