The Kedah Cement I is 145 meters LOA with a beam of 22 meters and a depth of 12.2 meters. The first of two identical ships designed by Conan Wu & Associates Ltd., and built by Pan United Shipyards Ltd. in Singapore. The 16,000DWT vessels are designed to carry 13,600 cubic meters of cement at a service speed of 13.4 knots. The vessels were built to ABS class A1.

The vessels are fitted with a WAGNER LA2 28-45-FB2 single rudder steering system producing 30 ton meters torque over 2 x 40 degrees. Each system consists of two L200-1047 cylinders, M63A Accumotor hydraulic full follow-up control, and a TA100D dual hydraulic power pack with 2 x 30 HP electric motor pumps and a 100 gallon reservoir. The power pack is sized to provide a rudder speed of 28 seconds with one pump running and 14 seconds with both pumps running. The wheelhouse is fitted with an electric lever steering control and a Model 202 rudder angle indicator system complete with a panoramic indicator.