[1][2] Punta Médanos was powered by four marine steam turbines manufactured by Wallsend Shipway Engineers Ltd, fed by two oil-fired boilers, generating 11,500 HP; and driving two propellers.

[1][2] The tanker Punta Médanos was ordered by the Argentine Government by direct contract with Swan, Hunter & Wigham Richardson shipyard, signed in October 1947; the cost was 1,035,000 sterling pounds.

[1][2] Punta Médanos was launched on 20 February 1950, completed on 10 October, and commissioned in the Argentine Navy on 1 December same year; arriving in Argentina later that month with a naval crew led by Frigate Captain Horacio Barbitta.

[1][2] While assigned to the Naval Transport Command, Punta Médanos made several commercial trips overseas on behalf of YPF, visiting among other ports: Aruba, Curaçao, Houston, New Orleans, London, and Rotterdam.

As part of the fleet she participated in several sea exercises including: UNITAS III (1962), IV (1963), V (1964), VI (1965), VIII (1967), JX (1968), XI (1970), XII (1971); Atlantis I (1968); Caiman (1964), Orca (1967).

[5] While operating north of the Falklands, her boilers failed and lost all propulsion; she was towed back to Puerto Madryn (about 330 miles west) by the icebreaker ARA Almirante Irízar in rough weather, the trip took about 60 hours.