Having completed a 138-day deployment to Antarctica on 31 March to support Operation “Deep Freeze 2024,” the US Coast Guard Cutter Polar Star (WAGB 10), the only functional US heavy icebreaker, is just about to embark on phase four of the five-year Service Life Extension Project (popularly known as SLEP) in California’s Vallejo, USCG officials reported on 4 April.
Mare Island Dry Dock is doing the SLEP work to recapitalize critical systems, including the propulsion,...