The Turmoil is 151 ft LOA with a beam of 29 ft and a draft of 9 ft and displaces 363 tons at half load. Designed by Dutch naval architect Dick Boon, the vessel was built by Palmer Johnson in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin. The Turmoil is constructed in aluminum to ABS Classification and has a maximum speed of 15.3 knots, a cruising speed of 13 knots and a range of 10,000 km at 12 knots.

The ship is fitted with a WAGNER LB4 5.6-45 GC2 twin rudder steering gear consisting of four L100-419 cylinders, tillers, tie rod assemblies, DARBS valves and proportional directional control valves. The four cylinder configuration allows the steering gear to continue to operate in the event one rudder is damaged. The steel tillers have a fully split hub and were custom designed to suit this application. Two proportional directional control valves provide full follow-up electric steering via an autopilot. Rudder speeds of 12 seconds HO/HO are obtained with one control valve in operation and 6 seconds with both valves in operation. In the event of an electrical failure a local control helm pump has been provided.