I wonder how it works in these situations. I know that with aircraft, the two warning systems on the 2 planes either talk to each other or have some sort of set rules to instruct each plane to change course away from each other rather than give them conflicting instructions that only compound the situation.
Obviously if 2 ships are on a collision course, one needs to slow down while the other perhaps should speed up... or both should change course away from the predicted collisions spot.
Do the ships talks to each other either by voice or by computer to say "You go that way and I'll go this way"?
Do the ships talks to each other either by voice or by computer to say "You go that way and I'll go this way"?
If two ships are on a collision course, one of the ships has the 'right of way.' Without going into all the specifics, the ship to the starboard has the right of way in a passing situation.
That said, international maritime rules says that you never intentionally hazard your ship, even to claim a right-of-way. Regardless, judging from the visible damage to both ships, the Fitzgerald did not appear to have the right of way. In an ideal world, both ships should have taken steps to avoid placing themselves in extremis; i.e., to the point of collision. It's harder for the cargo ship, so the destroyer should've taken the initiative to do this.
To your question about communications between two ships, it's possible they could've spoken through bridge-to-bridge radio, especially if there were other circumstances that didn't allow them to alter their courses or speeds. They could've also used flashing signal lights, if radio communications weren't possible. I think communications between the two ships would come out in the final report, so I'll be looking for that. To my knowledge, no other "automated" mechanism exists--ships simply do not travel as fast as aircraft, nor should they need such instantaneous course changes.