Great article from the Los Angeles Times about the trials, tribulations, (and joys) of being on the Polar Star, recounting her three and a half month 2018/2019 Deep Freeze.
And once again she goes into the dry dock in Vallejo, California, rather than a yard in her homeport (for 5 months). If you add it up, she spends more time in Vallejo than her homeport (3.5 months). Since she is being drydocked every year, maybe it is time to move the families closer to the shipyard. According to the article she is expected to continue in service another seven years.
They could have deployed a navy LPD with one or two LCACs.
I suppose no individual cargo pieces too heavy for LCACs was moved.
The cargo was carried on this ship. https://gcaptain.com/msc-chartered-ocean-giant-arrives-at-mcmurdo-station-antarctica/