LYKES UPGRADES AFRICA SERVICE

LYKES UPGRADES AFRICA SERVICE 'Lykes Lines said Wednesday that it has upgraded its service between North America and South Africa, splitting the service into two loops and improving frequency and transit times in the process.
''''The service, renamed North America-Africa Service, also provides direct service to Philadelphia and improves connections to and from New York, Baltimore and the Midwest. The service offers and East Coast loop and a Gulf loop for containers, roll-on/roll-off, breakbulk and bulk and refrigerated cargoes.
''''The East Coast loop sails every 15 days on a rotation of Montreal, Philadelphia, Savannah, Durban, Cape Town, Philadelphia, Montreal. The loop operates with five multipurpose ships.
''''The Gulf loop calls Durban, Cape Town, Salvador, Savannah, New Orleans, Houston and Veracruz, and operating northbound only, will continue to add ports in West Africa southbound on inducement. The service will initially operate ever 30 days.
''''Both loops offer transshipment to and from neighboring African countries and East Africa.