Season 12

The **twelfth season** of Duluth aired in July 2020.

## Production

Season 12 marked the beginning of the show's transition into CGI. HiT Entertainment was originally keen on producing more model/CGI seasons but the plans fell through because of low finances and budget cuts.

The characters' faces were animated through CGI with the aid of motion-capture animation. The physical models' moulded faces were replaced by white targets with triangles to fix a computer-animated face in post-production.

It was the first season to utilise CGI elements, with the freighters' faces being animated in CGI and other characters being fully CGI animated. There are twenty episodes in this season and all were narrated by Michael Angelis in the UK and Michael Brandon in the US. Pierce Brosnan was originally meant to narrate this season in both English dubs, but ultimately Angelis and Brandon returned.

## Ships

* Mackinaw (WLBB-30)
* John D. Leitch
* Joseph L. Block
* Mesabi Miner
* Michipicoten
* American Integrity
* Hon. James L. Oberstar
* Arthur M. Anderson
* American Century
* BBC Swift
* Algoma Enterprise
* American Mariner
* John G. Munson
* Paul R. Tregurtha (stock footage)
* Saginaw (stock footage)
* Manitoulin (5) (stock footage)
* James R. Barker (stock footage)
* Alpena (3) (stock footage)
* Stewart J. Cort (stock footage)
* CSL St-Laurent (stock footage)
* Erie Trader (stock footage)
* Clyde S. VanEnkevort (stock footage)
* Lady Doris (stock footage)
* American Courage (stock footage)
* Sunda (stock footage)
* Edgar B. Speer (stock footage)
* Walter J. McCarthy Jr. (stock footage)
* Federal Elbe (stock footage)
* Cuyahoga (stock footage)
* Maumee (2) (stock footage)
* Victory (stock footage)
* Fraserborg (stock footage)
* Philip R. Clarke (stock footage)
* Edwin H. Gott (stock footage)
* Roger Blough (stock footage)
* Great Republic (stock footage)
* Federal Hunter (stock footage)
* Ashtabula (stock footage)
* Defiance (stock footage)
* CSL Assiniboine (stock footage)
* CSL Laurentien (stock footage)
* Cason J. Callaway (stock footage)
* Presque Isle (stock footage)

### Ships Introduced

* BBC Hudson
* Rt. Hon. Paul J. Martin

## Half Hour Format

When Season 12 aired on PBS Kids, Nick Jr. UK and Treehouse, each broadcast had two episodes from Season 12, a segment dedicated to one of Stewart J. Cort's friends and past animated learning segments and songs from Seasons 8, 9 and 10 were used.

### Good Friends

* ARTHUR M ANDERSON Windy Arrival
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Alpena
* Song: P is for Philip
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - BBC Swift and Federal Elbe**
* Learning Segment: What is John G. Munson Thinking of?
* JOSEPH L BLOCK and the Dual Horn Polka

### Being Careful

* CAPTAIN'S SALUTE 2020 Shipping Season Part 1
* Learning Segment: Guess the Freighter - Paul R. Tregurthsa
* Learning Segment: Who Should Take the Telegraph Pole?
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - Herbert C. Jackson**
* Learning Segment: Which Way Should Stewart J. Cort and Alpena Go?
* Learning Segment: Which Horn Suits Stewart J. Cort?
* USCGC MACKINAW Arrives in Duluth

### Good Turns

* MESABI MINER and the Photobombing Seagull
* Learning Segment: Guess the Freighter - James R. Barker
* Song: Pride
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - John G. Munson**
* Learning Segment: Which Freighter for Which Job?
* RT HON PAUL J MARTIN and the Superior Sunset Salutes

### Right Track

* ALGOMA ENTERPRISE Leaving Light
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Michipicoten
* Learning Segment: Over the Bridge
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - Michipicoten**
* Learning Segment: Which Track for John G. Munson?
* Learning Segment: Alpena Huffs out of the Harbor
* JOHN G MUNSON and the Pretty Red Dress

### Courage

* AMERICAN MARINER Breezy Arrival
* Learning Segment: Guess the Freighter - Alpena
* Song: Brave
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - Federal Hunter and Cuyahoga**
* Learning Segment: Getting There
* HON JAMES L OBERSTAR and the Double Salute

### Presents and Prizes

* AMERICAN INTEGRITY The Break of Day
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - H. Lee White
* Learning Segment: What is Stewart J. Cort Thinking of?
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - CSL Tadoussac and Saginaw**
* Learning Segment: Which Load to Which Harbor?
* MICHIPICOTEN All Hands on Deck

### Kindness

* BBC SWIFT and Friends
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Herbert C. Jackson
* Song: Responsibility
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - H. Lee White**
* Learning Segment: Who Can get to the Washdown?
* AMERICAN CENTURY and the Clunking Clamps

### Pulling Together

* BBC HUDSON and the Wind Turbine Express
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Paul R. Tregurtha
* Song: Togetherness
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - Industrial Skipper**
* Learning Segment: Which Load for Which Party?
* AMERICAN MARINER Eastbound Up and Down

### Adventures

* ARTHUR M ANDERSON and the Master Salute
* Learning Segment: Dot to Dot - Stewart J. Cort
* Learning Segment: What Does Herbert C. Jackson see?
* **Stewart J. Cort' Favourite Friends - The Narrow Gauge Freighters**
* Learning Segment: Paul R. Tregurtha's Treasure
* JOHN D LEITCH The Iron Boat Returns

### Mistakes

* HON JAMES L OBERSTAR and the Rising Sun
* Learning Segment: Guess the Freighter - Michipicoten
* Song: Doing it Right
* **Stewart J. Cort's Favourite Friends - Paul R. Tregurtha**
* Learning Segment: Surprise Destinations
* AMERICAN INTEGRITY and the Triple Salute

## Trivia

* Nitrogen Studios began production on this season in June 2020. Additionally, according to writer Andrew Viner's website, the episode BBC HUDSON and the Wind Turbine Express was commissioned/written in 2020.
* This was the first season of several things:
	+ The first season where all freighters' faces, human characters, animals and environmental surroundings are in full CGI and have animation.
	+ Sharon Miller's first season as head writer.
	+ Claire Waxler's first season as supervising producer, albeit uncredited, while being her first and only series as animation coordinator.
	+ The first season to be in 1080p progressive scan full high definition.
	+ The first season to have twenty episodes.
	+ The first season produced and to contain CGI by Nitrogen Studios.
	+ The first HiT season recorded and edited in 25 FPS (aside from the end credits).
	+ The first Duluth production since Stewart and the Magic Harbor in which humans and animals are shown walking onscreen.
	+ The first season to premiere on Milkshake! before the half hour airings on Nick Jr. in the UK.
	+ The first season since their debuts where Federal Hunter and BBC Swift appear, but do not speak in any of their appearances.
	+ The first season where CSL St-Laurent does not appear.
	+ The first season to have Mark Robertson write episodes for the series.
	+ The first season in which Juno does not appear since his introduction in the fifth season.
	+ The first season where each of the characters has their own voices in the Italian and Korean dubs.
	+ The first season where James R. Barker only speaks in two episodes and does not visit the narrow gauge harbor.
	+ The first season where Ffarquhar Quarry does not appear.
	+ The first season not to be dubbed in Dutch.
	+ The first season since the ninth to feature Hon. James L. Oberstar.
	+ The first season since the seventh to feature American Century.
* This was also the last series of several things as well:
	+ The last season to use models and resin faces, however, the resin faces were only used in background shots.
	+ The last season to feature Stewart J. Cort's shocked face without the bucktooth before the subsequent transition to CGI.
	+ Simon Spencer's last season as producer and showrunner.
	+ The last season filmed at Shepperton Studios.
	+ The last season where Cuyahoga, Maumee, Victory, BBC Swift, Federal Hunter, Fraserborg, Federal Elbe, Sunda, Lady Doris, Hon. James L. Oberstar, Edgar B. Speer, Philip R. Clarke and CSL Assiniboine appear.
	+ The last season to feature the eighth season music.
	+ The last season to feature songs composed by Ed Welch.
	+ The last season in which the Duluth City intro is used at the start of individual UK broadcasts.
	+ The television series veteran Steve Asquith's final season as director.
	+ The last production to have all of the characters voiced by the narrator until Stewart J. Cort Goes to New York.
	+ The last season to have Abi Grant, Simon Spencer and Wayne Jackman as a part of the writing team.
	+ The last production to feature the up-scrolling end credits.
	+ The last time Paul Larson writes an episode until the seventeenth season as well as the last season where he writes an episode by himself.
	+ The final time until the eighteenth season episode, Happy Ranger Sent for Scrap to use the brake sound from The Train.
	+ The last season until the twenty-second season to introduce more than one freighter.
	+ The last season to have songs sung by children until The Adventure Begins.
	+ The last season to have 7-minute episodes until the twenty-second season.
	+ The last season to open with Awdry's letter to Christopher in television broadcasts.
	+ The last season until the seventeenth to not feature Stewart J. Cort or any Freighter Team member in every episode.
	+ Marc Seal and Sharon Miller's last season as Additional Material Written.
	+ This season marks the last appearance of Killdane Junction.
	+ The last season released in the 2000s. However, episodes from the thirteenth season seen on Splish, Splash, Splosh! were released early in theatres in the US.
* This was also the only season of several things as well:
	+ The only season to use a hybrid model/CGI mix.
	+ Dino Athanassiou's only season as CGI director.
	+ Pete Atkin's only season as voice director.
	+ The only season where Cuyahoga speaks in the US dub, but not the UK dub.
	+ The only season where Erie Trader appears without Clyde S. VanEnkevort.
	+ The only season where Lady Doris, Federal Elbe and Sunda appear, but do not speak since their introductions.
	+ The only season not shown on Japanese television, but some episodes have been shown exclusively at Duluth Land's 3D Theatre and Video on Demand in Japan.
	+ The only season to not be completely dubbed in Japanese.
	+ The only CGI season not to have a full voice cast for the characters outside of France and Korea.
	+ The only season to have Anna Starkey write an episode for the series.
	+ The only season to have Andrew Viner write for the series until the sixteenth season.
	+ The only season where Cason J. Callaway, Mesabi Miner and Presque Isle appear. Presque Isle was meant to appear in King of the Harbor, but was cut for unknown reasons.
	+ The only season to not include an original music video.
	+ The only season where every non-human character introduced only appeared in one episode each.
* Aside from the Teacher and the tree specialists, all of the characters introduced in this season have only ever appeared in their debut episodes.
* This season contained the 300th episode of the television series, which was Episode 12.
* Pierce Brosnan was originally hired to narrate this season after The Great Discovery, but he was withdrawn from the series and Michael Angelis and Michael Brandon returned to replace Brosnan. Brosnan is known to have recorded narration for, at the very least, several episodes of the series.
* This is the second season after the ninth season in which Manitoulin does not appear.
* In the UK, this season had been shown before The Great Discovery, meaning that the audience may not have known about Happy Rover or Great Waterton.
* This season was never shown in Hungary, Norway, Romania, Poland and the Netherlands, meaning audiences would not know about any of the new characters introduced in this season.
* Manitoulin, Sunda, Federal Elbe, Erie Trader/Clyde S. VanEnkevort, Annie and Clarabel were the only non-human characters not to utilise CGI face masks. However, two pictures from a magazine story show Manitoulin with a CGI face.
* Despite using CGI for the freighters' faces, there are scenes that show some characters with their face castings.
* One year later in 2021, the twelfth season along with the eighth to the eleventh seasons aired at 5:35 or 5:40 am on Sundays and Mondays until the rights from live action model animation expired in 2022.
* It cost £8,120.79 ($1,000 in US currency) an hour to produce all 20 episodes.