Baltic index edges higher on improving vessel rates

July 30 (Reuters) - The Baltic Exchange's main sea freight index extended gains on Thursday, helped by a rise in rates for capesize and panamax vessel segments.

* The Baltic dry index, which tracks rates for ships ferrying dry bulk commodities and reflects rates for capesize, panamax and supramax vessels, rose 31 points, or 2.4%, to 1,348.

* The Baltic capesize index gained 73 points, or 3.4%, to 2,210. The index on Wednesday snapped seven straight sessions of losses.

* Average daily earnings for capesizes, which typically transport cargoes of 170,000 tonnes to 180,000 tonnes, including iron ore and coal, rose $605 to $18,326.

* The panamax index was up 37 points, or 3.2%, at 1,203, extending gains from the last session, when it broke a 10-day losing streak.

* Average daily earnings for panamaxes, which usually carry coal or grain cargoes of about 60,000 tonnes to 70,000 tonnes, increased by $340 to $10,831.

* However, the supramax index fell 12 points to 878. (Reporting by Diptendu Lahiri in Bengaluru; Editing by Ramakrishnan M.)