Tom_Brokaw_is_a_Punk

No, although "The Law of Gross Tonnage" is a common joke amongst mariners.

The rules that govern who has the "right of way" between two ships are called the International Regulations for Preventing Collisions at Sea, also know as "COLREGS" or simply The Rules of the Road.

The rules are fairly complex, but when two vessels are "crossing" the "give way vessel" is the one that has the other on her own port side.

Source: I drive Navy ships for a living.

This is wrong on a lot of levels.

First off, there's no reason to think PLAN ships were near either the Fitz or the McCain. Fitz was in Japanese waters and the McCain was transiting the Straits of Singapore.

Second, Freedom of Navigation operations are routine in the SCS. They happen all the time. Every ship in 7th fleet has conducted one multiple times, and neither ship was actively engaged in one during their collisions.

Third, while the merchant ships have some fault (Rule 2), the idea that they could've turned to avoid them is ludicrous. Merchant vessels don't turn on a dime, and they take a massive distance to stop.

Parker, fwiw, was actually a 3rd tour division officer

Can you elaborate? Division officers don't do a third sea tour.