[1][2] The destroyers were powered by four Babcock & Wilcox Express boilers supplying steam to General Electric Company geared turbines that drove two shafts.

The engines were rated at 42,800 shaft horsepower (31,916 kW) and the vessels had a maximum speed of 36.5 knots (67.6 km/h; 42.0 mph).

The Marcílio Dias class had capacity for 559 tonnes (550 long tons) of fuel oil and had a range of 6,500 nautical miles (12,038 km; 7,480 mi) at 15 knots (28 km/h; 17 mph).

[3] In 1966 a Sea Cat missile system was fitted to Mariz e Barros, with the destroyer used as a test platform.

[4] The Marcílio Dias were the first warships constructed in Brazil of any size, and due to this fact, took a long time to build.