"Minerve" had an overall length of , with a beam of and a draught of . Displacement was surfaced and submerged. The submarine had diesel-electric propulsion, with two 12-cylinder SEMP Pielstick diesel engines rated at a total of and one electric motor, rated at , which drove two propeller shafts, giving a speed of on the surface and submerged. The ship's machinery and equipment were modular in order to ease maintenance. Range was at . The submarine was designed to dive to a depth of .