The Bangor class was designed as a small minesweeper that could be easily built in large numbers by civilian shipyards; as steam turbines were difficult to manufacture, the ships were designed to accept a wide variety of engines.

The engines produced a total of 2,000 shaft horsepower (1,500 kW) and gave a maximum speed of 16 knots (30 km/h; 18 mph).

Kumaon carried a maximum of 160 long tons (163 t) of fuel oil that gave her a range of 2,800 nautical miles (5,200 km; 3,200 mi) at 10 knots (19 km/h; 12 mph).

[2] HMIS Kumaon was ordered from the William Hamilton and Company originally for the Royal Navy as HMS Middlesbrough in 1939.

[4] The ship was a part of the Eastern Fleet, and escorted numerous convoys between Africa, British India and Australia in 1943–45.