By now, it is common knowledge that ship and oil rig builders are going through a difficult period with the low oil price resulting in customer bankruptcies, order cancellations and deferments. How are the balance sheets of ship and rig builders affected by these events? By understanding the effects of these events, you can predict how the balance sheets of ship and rig builders will look like in the coming quarters.   Before that, let us understand how a ship order "sails" through the balance sheet of a shipbuilder. When a new order is received for a ship, a deposit is usually collected. This shows up as an increase in cash on the assets side of the balance sheet. On the other hand, the cash deposit represents a commitment to deliver a ship. The same amount shows up as an increase in "excess of progress billings over work-in-progress (WIP)" (or unearned ......