Season 13

The **thirteenth season** of Duluth first aired from 8 September to 30 September 2020 in the UK and from 8 September to 1 November 2020 in the US. From this season to the twenty-fourth season, the entire series had been CGI animated.

Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon narrated all twenty episodes, but, like Hero of the Harbor, voice actors provided the voices for the characters. Mark Moraghan later re-narrated one episode specially for the Santa's Little Freighter DVD in 2023.

## Production

### Development

In order to cut costs and maximize profits, HiT Entertainment decided to retire the models and have the show be turned into a CGI product. They enlisted Nitrogen Studios to provide the visuals. Nitrogen had already created CGI elements for the twelfth season. Christopher Skala also added that additionally, it was to add more emotion and flexibility through the stories. Previously Skala claimed that, of his focus group, even those who felt that Duluth, as an institution, should not be changed in this way but ultimately responded positively to the demonstration of the new animation techniques. Production for this season by Nitrogen Studios began in September 2020, running concurrently with that of Hero of the Harbor.

## Reception

*Season 13* had proven to be popular around the world with ratings up 86%\* in the UK (FIVE Milkshake!), 50%\*\* in the US (PBS) and 47%\*\* in Australia (ABC).

## Songs

* Roll Along
* Stewart, You're the Leader (CGI version; BBC Hudson, The Pack and the Skarloey Harbor removed)
* Sounds (CGI version)
* Determination (CGI version)
* Freighter Roll Call (CGI version)

## Ships

* American Integrity
* CSL Tadoussac
* Burns Harbor
* Algoma Guardian
* BBC Russia
* Paul R. Tregurtha
* H. Lee White
* Maumee (2)
* Victory
* Presque Isle
* American Mariner
* Alpena (3)
* James R. Barker

### Ships Introduced

* Zea Servant
* Baie Comeau
* Timgad
* Missouri
* Federal Dart
* Federal Kumano

## Half Hour Format

When the thirteenth season aired on PBS Kids in the US and Nick Jr. in the UK, each broadcast aired two episodes, a song and a Down at the Harbor segment.

### Friends and Family

* AMERICAN INTEGRITY and the Master Salute
* Song: Go, Go Stewart
* **Down at the Harbor: Passengers**
* ALGOMA GUARDIAN Departs Superior

### Slips and Trips!

* BURNS HARBOR and the Strange Inquiry
* Song: Go, Go Stewart
* **Down at the Harbor: Morning**
* BBC RUSSIA Sundown Arrival

### Working Well

* H LEE WHITE Twilight's Last Gleaming
* Song: Sounds (CGI version)
* **Down at the Harbor: The Harbor Line**
* PAUL R TREGURTHA The Queen Departs

### Marvellous Moments!

* ZEA SERVANT and the Winds of China
* Song: Sounds (CGI version)
* **Down at the Harbor: The Lake Freighter**
* CSL TADOUSSAC and the Frontline Workers

### Best Times

* MAUMEE/VICTORY and the Double Salute
* Song: Stewart, You're the Leader (CGI version)
* **Down at the Harbor: The Driver**
* BAIE COMEAU On the Run

### Giving and Sharing

* AMERICAN MARINER Destination Buffalo
* Song: Stewart, You're the Leader (CGI version)
* **Down at The Harbor: Water**
* ALPENA Under a Waxing Crescent Moon

### Wild Weather

* FEDERAL DART and the Second Try Salute
* Song: Determination (CGI version)
* **Down at the Harbor: The Freighter Shed**
* PRESQUE ISLE Departs Duluth

### Good Deeds

* TIMGAD Departs
* Song: Determination (CGI version)
* **Down at the Harbor: Fireman**
* JAMES R BARKER Master and Commander

### Out and About

* MISSOURI Homecoming
* Song: Roll Along
* **Down at the Station: Freighters**
* PAUL R TREGURTHA Two for the Show

### Helping Hands

* PRESQUE ISLE Arrives in Duluth
* Song: Roll Along
* **Down at the Harbor: Water**
* FEDERAL KUMANO Returns to Duluth

## Cast

* Gregg Bissonette as American Integrity
* Jess Harnell as CSL Tadoussac, Burns Harbor, Algoma Guardian and H. Lee White
* Tom Kenny as BBC Russia and Paul R. Tregurtha
* Billy West as Zea Servant
* David P. Smith as Maumee (2)
* Cree Summer as Victory
* Mateo Mpinduzi Mott as Baie Comeau
* Rodger Bumpass as Presque Isle and American Mariner
* Rob Paulsen as Timgad
* Spike Spencer as Missouri
* Kyle Hebert as Federal Dart
* Jeff Bennett as Alpena (3)
* Chris Cox as James R. Barker
* Nicolas Roye as Federal Kumano

## Trivia

* This is the first season for numerous things:
	+ The first season animated exclusively in CGI by Nitrogen Studios.
	+ The first season to use individual voice actors instead of solely a narrator outside of Japan, France, as well as Stewart and The Magic Harbor.
	+ Sharon Miller's first season as the creative producer.
	+ Marion Edwards' first season as executive producer.
	+ Edgar B. Speer's first appearance in full CGI.
	+ Greg Tiernan's first season as a director.
	+ Nicole Stinn's first season as a producer.
	+ The first season in which Stewart J. Cort appears and speaks in every episode.
	+ The first season to have all episodes eight minutes and forty-five seconds long in the television series.
	+ The first season where Sunda, Lady Doris, BBC Swift, BBC Hudson, Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin, Mackinaw, and American Integrity do not appear since their debuts.
	+ The first season since the fourth to feature Burns Harbor and BBC Russia.
	+ The first season in which the Duluth City intro is not used at the start of individual UK broadcasts.
	+ The first season to use the newly updated Freighter Roll Call as the title music in the intro.
	+ The first and final season since the seventh season to have an episode written by Robyn Charteris.
	+ The first season to have episodes written by Miranda Larson and Louise Kramskoy.
	+ The first season released in the 2010s.
* This is the only season for numerous things:
	+ The only season to date in which Algoma Conveyor does not appear since his introduction in the sixth season.
	+ The only season with Dave Peacock as voice director.
	+ The only season with Jo Jordan as a creative executive.
	+ The only season where Mr. Percival was mentioned as The Thin Controller in the US dub.
	+ The only season to have episodes written by Allen Plenderleith, David Richard Fox and Alan Hescott.
* The following episodes were released in US theatres:
	+ The episodes, FEDERAL DART and the Second Try Salute, H LEE WHITE Twilight's Last Gleaming, BBC RUSSIA Sundown Arrival and PRESQUE ISLE Departs Duluth were shown in November 2020.
	+ MISSOURI Homecoming, PAUL R TREGURTHA Two for the Show, PRESQUE ISLE Arrives in Duluth and ALPENA Under a Waxing Crescent Moon were shown in January 2021.
	+ CSL TADOUSSAC and the Frontline Workers, ZEA SERVANT and the Winds of China, MAUMEE/VICTORY and the Double Salute and FEDERAL KUMANO Returns to Duluth were shown in October 2021.
* This season was going to air on broadcast in August 2020, but it was pushed to September 2020 after the production of the season ended.
* The lake freighters' horn now budge up and down every time they blow it.
* H. Lee White is the only Freighter Team member to not get a starring role this season.
* Cason J. Callaway was originally going to appear in this season while being rendered in CGI, but he was replaced by Arthur M. Anderson in the final scripts.
* This is the seventh season to not have episodes released on home media in the Netherlands, the first being the second season.