Puamau is powered by two Caterpillar 3516C diesel engines with two ZF7600 gearboxes turning two fixed pitch propellers creating 4,000 kW (5,400 hp).

The ship has berths for up to 23 crew and is equipped with one fast rescue rigid-inflatable boat with two 90 hp (67 kW) Yamaha engines capable of operating with up to 15 people aboard.

There is a 16 m2 (170 sq ft) cargo deck serviced by a crane and is fitted for but not equipped with an autocannon of up to 30 mm (1.2 in) and a 0.50-calibre machine gun on both the port and starboard sides of the ship.

[1] The future crew of Puamau left Fiji on 2 January 2024 aboard RFNS Kikau for training on the new ship.

While Takuare was being repaired in Cairns, Tuvalu was scheduled to receive a replacement boat for Te Mataili II.