The Antioquia-class ships were designed by the British shipbuilder Yarrow and were based on, a prototype destroyer built for the Royal Navy in 1926 by Yarrow.[1] They were 323feet long overall and 307feet between perpendiculars, with a beam of 31feet and a draught of 11feet. The ship displaced 1219LT at standard load and 1563LT at full load.[2] The Antioquias were powered by two Parsons-Curtis geared steam turbines, each driving one propeller shaft using steam provided by three Yarrow boilers. The turbines, rated at 33000shp, were intended to give a maximum speed of 36kn. The destroyers carried enough fuel oil to give them a range of 5400nmi at .[2]
Armament was similar to contemporary Royal Navy destroyers, with a gun armament of four 4.7 in (120 mm) Vickers-Armstrong Mk G guns, and three 2-pounder Mk VIII anti-aircraft guns. Two quadruple banks of 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes were carried, while two depth charge throwers and 12 depth charges constituted the ships' anti-submarine armament. Up to 20 mines could be carried. The ships' complement consisted of 147 officers and men.[2]