Duarte Nuno Ferreira Rodrigues has a degree in Economics from Universidade Nova de Lisboa (1983-1987), with a Post-Graduation in European Studies from Universidade Católica Portuguesa (1988-1989).

Since 2003, he has been director and Chief Operating Officer of the Grupo Sousa – the largest Portuguese shipowner of container ships which, over the past 38 years, has become one of the leading operators in the maritime-port sector in Portugal, and which ensures regular maritime transport from Cape Verde and Guinea Bissau to the Rest of the World including northern Europe, Mediterranean, Middle East, Far East and North and South America, Spain, Canary Islands, also through Cross Trade, as well as cabotage between mainland Portugal and the Azores and Madeira archipelagos. Responsible for Shipping in Grupo Sousa, in an operation involving all the Business Units of national and international Cargo Maritime Transport, namely, shipowner, port operation, towing service, shipping agents and shipmanagement, as well as the business model of Passenger Maritime Transport, between the islands of Madeira and Porto Santo, in Portugal.

He is a member of the Board of the Portuguese Shipowners Association (AAMC) as well as a member of the Board of the ICS – International Chamber of Shipping and, between 2009-2013, was President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Madeira-Commercial and Industrial Association of Funchal – (ACIF-CCIM). From 2006 to 2009 he was also Vice-Chairman of the aforementioned Association. He began working as a Technical Economist in the Financial Services Department of Banco de Fomento Nacional in 1990, and was also Advisor to His Excellency the Secretary of State for Foreign Trade in 1989.